


You're Gonna Come Undone

by chu_chu_yeah



Series: There's a Mafia in the Trees [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Abuse, Additional Characters to be added, Alcohol, Alternate universe - Mafia, Angst & Romance, College Student Hinata Shouyou, Kidnapping, M/M, Mafia Boss Iwaizumi Hajime, Model Oikawa Tooru, Not Canon Compliant, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Referenced/Implied Violence, S&M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:08:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 35,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28257426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chu_chu_yeah/pseuds/chu_chu_yeah
Summary: Hinata Shouyou's future seemed hazy and bleak as he approached college graduation; a seemingly endless to-do list of networking, studying, and job interviews dominated his daily life. However, when he meets Tooru, a beautiful and mysteriously wealthy model, the two begin to kindle a friendship unlike anything Hinata had ever experienced. Tooru brings Hinata into his lifestyle of lavish gifts, luxurious trips, and never-ending pleasure, provided he accepts one little detail: Tooru already has a boyfriend, and that boyfriend is the leader of one of the largest mafias in the country.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Hinata Shouyou/Iwaizumi Hajime, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Hinata Shouyou/Oikawa Tooru, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kuroo Tetsurou/Tsukishima Kei
Series: There's a Mafia in the Trees [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2127234
Comments: 23
Kudos: 111





	1. Someone, Evermore

For a while, the fleeting thought of getting the phrase, “what would your mother say?” tattooed somewhere had entertained him. He loved hearing it when out shopping or gallivanting through downtown, and he thought it would be hilarious to flash the tattoo at the next crony who asked him such a stupid question. While he looked over the glass jewelry case he pictured where he would get the pretty mark branded with glee; while dressed in his most flattering clothes and donning his most expensive jewels, why would he ever care what his mother thought? Besides, she’d probably be impressed if she were alive.

As Tooru looked down for his next purchase, he noticed a boy further down in the store. He was dressed as miserably as any child could be, however more curiously, his head was draped in fiery orange hair. Tooru shook his head in sympathy for the redhead as he pointed his manicured finger at the bracelet he had been eyeing; if the boy was anything short of loaded, he’d likely be teased relentlessly, even if his hair was of a beautiful shade. As the attendant prepared his purchase, Tooru leaned closer to gain a look at the boy. He could have been twelve or eleven, however when the boy suddenly turned, Tooru was taken aback. The boy was the size of a young teen with the face of a slightly-older teen, and yet he stood with a university lanyard hanging around his neck.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” The boy suddenly backed away from the counter, though Tooru reached his hand out to grasp at his shoulder. With a gasp, the boy looked up at him with a mixture of fear and wonder. Somehow that bright orange hair, which would normally be so off putting, framed his face wonderfully. He had bright hazel eyes, bordering on gold, and a youthful face that looked perfect when surprised. Tooru silently preened himself; of course he would be surprised, he was wearing his best outfit after all!

“What’s your name?” The question was clearly a command, and the boy nearly shuddered at his tone. Tooru could have as well.

“Hinata,” he stammered, however when Tooru raised a brow, he continued, “Shouyou.”

“Are you really in uni?” Tooru flicked his lanyard and the boy nervously caught it from swinging towards his face.

“Oh, yeah,” he laughed nervously as he played with his Tokyo University student ID, “uhm, do you go there too?”

“Oh lord, no,” Tooru shook his head dramatically, “though I _love_ going to the parties.” He winked, and when the boy visibly blushed, he took his chance. “Say, do you have plans today?”

“What? Me?” Tooru nodded, and as cute as his anxious answers were, it was somewhat sad to see him so flustered. He was adorable, why would he not have plans? “No… well, I mean, I have a lot of studying to do—”

“Perfect!” Tooru clapped his hands as he turned back towards the counter. The poor attendant had been waiting for him to complete his transaction, however Tooru did not particularly care. He extended his long fingers across the counter as he passed his matte black credit card to her waiting hands. He watched with glee as little Hinata gaped at his black card, and as he retrieved his card and his purchase, he brought his hands up to his slender shoulders and smirked. He was about to march them both out of the store when he noticed Hinata looking back towards the glass case. As though a light went off, he turned heels and sped them back to the case. “I’m so rude! You were going to buy something, weren’t you?”

With a silent gulp, Hinata Hinata’s face flushed a marvelous rose color. His eyes betrayed him as he looked back to the case and Tooru found that he had been looking at watches. They were all ridiculously ugly with thick pleather bands and fake gems, however with a glance at the boy’s own wrist, he noticed an even sadder looking rubber watch. “My professor suggested I should get a new watch,” Hinata nearly whispered, “because this one is really for kids or athletes. I wore it when I played volleyball…” he looked to see if his captor was still watching him, and when he confirmed as much, continued, “but I thought I should get a new one before I have to start applying for jobs.”

“How old are you?” The attendant interrupted pleasantly and began gesturing towards the first case. “These ones are very popular with graduates, but I personally think these ones look nicer.” Tooru knew that the lady behind the counter was just doing her job, however as she pointed his Hinata towards gaudy gold-plated watches, he shook his head and looked to the case beside them. To his delight, a beautiful black and bronze Tudor watch face caught his eye.

“Let me see that one.” His words broke whatever conversation Hinata and the woman had had, and though the woman hesitated for a moment, she turned and unlocked the next case. As she presented the watch, Tooru eyed Hinata and was tickled to see how flustered he looked. Undoubtedly, this boy would have never seen such expensive jewelry up close—though, even the ugly watches he had been looking at were at least five hundred thousand yen each—and as Tooru brought the elegant watch to his wrist, he nearly recoiled.

“Oh, I definitely can’t afford that one,” the words looked painful coming out of his mouth.

“Do you think it’s pretty?” Tooru leaned down just enough to look into the boy’s eyes closely. He nodded silently, and before he could even move the watch off of his wrist, Tooru slipped out his card once more and passed it to the woman. “He’ll wear it out, so no need for a bag.” Hinata and the attendant—and all of her coworkers—looked to Tooru as if he were crazy before quickly rushing to process the transaction. Hinata sputtered out something akin to a refusal as Tooru slipped off his chipped plastic watch and replaced it with the black masterpiece.

“Wait!” Hinata shook his head, “you can’t just buy this for me!” Tooru snapped his head around as the woman handed him a receipt.

“Why the hell not?” The boy’s face was priceless as he slowly took in what had just occurred. With a wave, Tooru guided him out of the store and out onto the street. By the time they reached the next storefront, the boy had finally found his voice again.

“Why,” he asked quietly, “why did you do that?” Tooru stopped his march to bring his hand to the boy’s soft cheek. If he was looking for a watch to take to interviews, he had to be preparing to graduate, yet he looked less than eighteen years old. Tooru pouted his lips out with a half-smile.

“Because I can,” he lightly pinched his cheek, “now, how about you take me out for dinner with the money you were going to blow on that ugly watch?” Hinata finally broke out in a smile and laughed aloud. At that very moment, Tooru’s own lips perked into a wicked smile.

~

While Hinata Shouyou normally only ate out for special occasions, he found the soft atmosphere of the restaurant calming and quiet instead of stressful. He sipped at his water while the man before him tapped aggressively at his phone. In less than a half hour, Hinata had been recruited by what he could only assume was a model; the man, who introduced himself simply as Tooru, looked as if he had just stepped out of a magazine. His clothes were likely more expensive that anything he had ever owned, and the jewelry he wore looked more expensive than his mother’s car. He glanced again at the heavy watch on his wrist with a mixture of glee and aversion. However one was supposed to react to a stranger buying such an extravagant gift at their first meeting, Hinata certainly hoped he was obeying protocol.

“Ugh,” Tooru rolled his eyes as he stuffed his phone back into a glossy black purse, “my Iwa-chan is so demanding.” He seemed to be rather upset for a short second before quickly turning his attention back to the smaller man. “Now, Shouyou,” he giggled his name, “you’re a uni student, right? Are you from Tokyo?”

“Oh, no, I’m from Miyagi. I grew up in a town maybe an hour north of Sendai.” Hinata sipped again at his water, however Tooru’s eyes were now squarely fixed onto his. The intensity of his gaze was remarkable, however he felt as though it was more out of curiosity and not malintent.

“Ooh, a country boy,” Tooru sang, “I actually love Sendai. Iwa-chan bought me an apartment up there, but I just don’t have much time to go anymore.” Hinata’s mouth dropped for a moment, though Tooru did not miss the gesture. “You’re probably sitting here wondering what sort of rich kid I must be, huh?”

“No!” Hinata lied awkwardly, “or, well, I am surprised that you bought me this after just meeting me.” Tooru smirked as a server brought their two bowls before them. Thankfully, Tooru had sensible tastes in food; he was afraid he would demand something outrageous like wagyu, however the man had simply requested Tonkotsu ramen. The steaming broth was rich and hot, and after the two took a few tentative bites—and the larger one exclaimed that it was ridiculously delicious—Tooru obliged his fantasies.

“The official answer is that I work part-time in modeling,” Tooru waited for Hinata’s eyes to shine with awe before adding, “but the real answer,” he slurped at a bundle of noodles, “is that I have an outrageously rich boyfriend.” Hinata nearly choked on his spoonful of broth from Tooru’s words, however he somehow pulled himself together. Tooru laughed aloud and handed him a napkin. “Is it that surprising?”

“No,” Hinata choked, “but, I actually thought that you may be a model when I first saw you…” as he trailed off, he noticed Tooru’s face perk up mischievously. “Y’know, since you’re so well dressed! I just was expecting you to say that you came from a wealthy family.”

“Ah, I wish,” Tooru sighed as he sipped at the salty broth, and while his dining partner sipped into the bowl, he noted how long his eyelashes were.

“Um,” Hinata suddenly looked up with a start, “your boyfriend won’t get mad at you for buying me this, will he?” Tooru stared at him for a long second, and just before Hinata felt the urge to apologize, the man clutched at his belly with laughter.

“Oh! No, no he won’t,” Tooru managed between gasps, “actually, he’ll be very happy to hear that I’ve made such a cute friend.”

While those words were flattering, Hinata suddenly felt a cold feeling in his legs. This man’s age was enigmatic, and while he radiated friendliness, the dynamic between them was dramatically unbalanced. With every sip of soup diamonds glittered on his fingers and wrists. His phone was the newest, largest model, and while Hinata was not well versed in luxury brands, he just knew that the black purse on the seat beside him easily cost over one hundred thousand yen. He gulped at his soup for as long as he could in silence, however when the quiet stretched on, Tooru leaned down to check on his companion.

“Hey, I didn’t mean to offend you.” Tooru frowned, and instantly Hinata felt a pang of regret; he was about to blow off someone who actively took an interest in knowing him, gifts aside. He straightened up in his chair with a short laugh and met his gaze.

“I was just surprised to hear you say that,” he chuckled through the awkwardness, “it’s not everyday someone just outright says they think you’re cute, y’know?”

“Little one, you ain’t seen nothing yet.” Tooru winked as he bit into the last slab of pork in his bowl. Hinata was almost impressed by his ability to polish off the bowl; he did not seem like he’d be such a big eater. “Ah, well, you said you had studying to do, so I suppose I should let you go. Did you drive, or do you take the train?”

“Oh I’m only about three blocks away, so I walked,” Hinata began to pull his wallet out before Tooru chocked back in surprise. He reached across and stopped him from opening it with a half-smile.

“I was kidding,” Tooru giggled as he reached into his purse and produced a crisp bank note, “that’d be so rude of me!” As they left the restaurant, Hinata looked over at him with a lingering hesitation; what was supposed to be a friendly meeting somehow felt buried in what he could only call tension. This man was so mysterious and outgoing, and yet as they stepped outside, he felt more protected than he had in months. “Want me to walk you home?”

“Oh, no that’s okay,” Hinata shook his head, “I’m sure you’re in the opposite direction.”

“That’s fair,” Tooru nodded before suddenly he knelt forward with a hand outstretched, “let me give you my number. That way, if you want, we can meet up again.” Hinata blinked away his nerves as he handed over his well-worn cell phone. Tooru ignored the clunky case and quickly inputted his contact information before handing the phone back to him. For a moment if felt as though they were both waiting for something, however the tension eased as a sleek black car pulled up to the curb. Tooru clicked his tongue as he walked to the rear door, only for it to open on its own. Tooru knelt down to step into the car, shooting Hinata one last glance before the door shut and the car sped away. Hinata waved him off, however the tint was so dark, he wasn’t sure Tooru could even see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sincerely hope y'all enjoy this fic! I was inspired to write it while listening to "Lone Digger" by Caravan Palace, and OiHina is one of my favorite pairings in Haikyuu!. You'll see that quite a few of the chapter titles are either song titles or song lyrics, which are usually what I'm listening to while writing it. I'm not 100% how long this fic will be, but rest assured I'll be quick with the uploads; I have about three chapters already written, and will post a note when I've decided how long it will be. I look forward to hearing y'all's thoughts!


	2. A Typical Evening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who left comments on the first chapter! I'm very glad you've enjoyed thus far, and I hope you'll stick with me through this whole shebang!
> 
> Just a head up: this chapter is where some more mature and explicit things start happening. This story won't get too graphic, however it will most definitely be "explicit".

“It was so weird,” Hinata sighed while he laid on the small sofa, “I feel like I’m hallucinating.”

“You’re supposed to say you’re dreaming,” Yamaguchi Tadashi, Hinata’s roommate, called from the kitchen, “and I think you should be more worried that you’ve signed some pact with the devil.”

“Yamaguchi, don’t say that,” Hinata whined and flung his feet over the back of the sofa, “what would you do?” Yamaguchi came into their small living room holding two plates and wearing a concerned smirk. He placed one of the plates on the table before them and began digging into the sloppy mess that was microwaved frozen lasagna.

“Y’know I don’t think this is one of those situations just anyone could give advice on,” Yamaguchi shrugged as he turned on their tv, “but if you think he’s nice, shoot him a text. Maybe he’s just lonely and wants a friend; y’know a lot of people give gifts when they can’t express themselves.” Hinata shoved a burning hot forkful of the pasta before shooting his roommate a glaring look.

“You just gave me advice!” Yamaguchi smirked and feigned ignorance as the two suffered through the too-hot pasta. Finally a movie was decided upon, and the calm of the room seeped deeper into Hinata. A few moments passed before he finally pulled his phone out from his jacket pocket. Tooru had only given his own number out, so if he wanted to meet again, Hinata would have to be the one to initiate it. Ignoring Yamaguchi’s stares from behind him, Hinata drafted a short text and hovered over the send button. The words didn’t seem genuine or even common enough, however when Yamaguchi reached forward and lightly tapped on “send”, Hinata exhaled in relief. “God, this is awful.”

“You’re just way overthinking things,” Yamaguchi patted his shoulder lightly, “and if he told you the truth that he already has a boyfriend, then he’s probably just a really generous guy looking for a friend. Also, I read in a magazine once that a lot of models and idols have a hard time making friends because their jobs are so competitive. So, maybe thinks you won’t judge him like another model would.”

Hinata looked into Yamaguchi’s eyes before nodding and turning his attention to their tv. While they were the same age—Hinata was actually a touch older—Yamaguchi had far more experience with romance… not that Hinata needed romantic advice. However, seeing his long-time friend seemingly unnerved by the day’s events did put him at ease. As they laughed through the movie, Hinata tried his best to ignore the weight of the watch on his wrist, and the absence of any notifications on his phone.

~

“Excuse me,” an obnoxious voice knocked at the door, “Hajime has requested you.” Tooru stared at the door for as long as he could before he groaned loudly and padded over. He swung the door open aggressively, however the source of his irritation had foreseen as much, and had already stepped away. “He’s in his study.”

“Ugh, don’t call it a study,” Tooru rolled his eyes, “he’s not an old man. It’s a goddamn spare bedroom anyways.” The hallway outside of his own room was surprisingly cold, however in his new velour sweatpants and fluffy sweater—complete with matching cream-colored slippers—the chill was actually welcome. Though Tooru strode as quickly through the spacious house as he could, the studious assistant followed him with ease. By the time he came to the bright white doors, Tooru turned and shot him a coy smile before slipping in and slamming it shut.

“Fuck’s sake! You scared the shit outta me.” A man crouched beneath a large desk cursed from across the room

“Sorry, Iwa-chan,” Tooru shrugged as he flopped himself onto the large settee by the windows. With a groan and another curse, the figure which was bent into his desk turned in his chair and looked over at him with a healthy mix of irritation and adoration.

“You sure look cute today. Aren’t you too hot, though?”

“Nah, it’s actually cold in the hall,” Tooru noted that the electric fireplace in the corner was running on high, even though his boyfriend was entirely draped in winter clothes, “so, what’s up? I thought you were busy as all hell.”

“I am, especially since I heard that we should be expecting another delivery by the end of the month. However,” he stood from his chair and slid over to the sofa, “I felt the need to look at something pretty.”

“Oh stop, you’ll make me blush,” Tooru barely managed to speak before his mouth was completely taken in. While most adults likely did not indulge in such sloppy kissing sessions, his Iwa-chan could sit and bite at his lips for what felt like hours. It was not unpleasant—in all his life, he’d never been kissed so passionately—however when the attention eventually turned downward, Tooru was usually relieved. Today’s activity was simple and light fellatio combined with a thorough rub-down of Tooru’s toned body. Once they were done, a light knock interrupted their session as if on cue.

“Hajime,” Matsukawa Issei, his loyal assistant, called from the door. Tooru grunted and hurriedly wiped his mouth as the tall man entered. Though he would not meet his glance, he knew that Matsukawa was giving him some knowing look. “The boys in Seoul called and said they received their delivery late last night.”

“And?” Hajime cocked his eyebrow sharply.

“Everything is accounted for,” Matsukawa took a seat by the main desk, almost as if to purposefully piss off Tooru, “and they said if you can’t make it over in the next week or so, they’ll send someone over.”

“No, that’s alright, I’ll go there. It’s been a while since I went to look myself anyways.”

Tooru admired his Iwa-chan’s broad shoulders as he stood and looked out the window. Their house, which rested well within the hills north of Uenohara, provided a beautiful view of the country clubs and sprawling fields downhill. It had once been known to be owned by some politician’s family from the south, but when that politician died, the family sold the home to flee from disgrace. It passed hands a few times before finally being purchased by the Hanamaki Family, which had roots in the area. Of course, Iwa-chan had really bought the house, however their family made for perfect cover. Tooru tuned back into their conversation, which had evolved from booking of flights—Iwa-chan decided to take his friend’s jet—to where, who, and what everyone would be doing while he was gone.

“Tooru-san,” Matsukawa did not look up from his tablet as he typed, “I assume that you’ll be staying here? When do you work? I’ll need to let the guards know—”

“Actually,” Tooru suddenly sat up, “I think I’ll go on a little trip myself.” Hajime looked to him with a raised brow before quickly dismissing Matsukawa; even with all of his duties, he was as receptive as ever. Once the door shut bitterly, Tooru sauntered over to Hajime’s desk. “Y’know how you’ve been telling me to make a new friend?” Hajime’s look turned from interested to mildly concerned within an instant. “Oh, it’s not like that! Well…” Tooru pulled out his phone and showed the pristine photo he had snapped of his prey while eating lunch, “I made a friend today.”

“Huh, he looks like a kid,” Hajime grimaced, “I was hoping that you’d meet someone… legal.”

“Iwa-chan! I’m not that despicable,” Tooru feigned indignantly, “he’s just baby-faced. He’s in college.”

“Where did you meet him?”

“At the jewelry store, y’know the good one by the station? Well, they called me and said that the bracelet I had been wanting was finally there, so of course I hurried over. While I was waiting, I noticed this boy standing there, and I thought he was a high schooler! He’s seriously so tiny. Anyways, we started talking and had lunch. He’s so sweet—”

“He’s hot,” Hajime cut through with a wicked grin, “you aren’t fooling me.” Tooru began to fuss, however Hajime simply looked closer at the picture. With a simple nod, he handed the phone back to his boyfriend. “He seems nice. While I’m gone, you wanna take him somewhere?”

“Well,” Tooru slipped onto Hajime’s lap, “he’s from Miyagi, so I thought I’d invite him to our place in Sendai, if that’s okay.” Hajime looked into Tooru’s eyes for a moment before he pinched at his bottom. He jumped in surprise, however Hajime simply took the chance to begin sucking at the man’s neck. Tooru giggled at his kisses until Hajime tugged at his sweater.

“You can do whatever makes you happy,” Hajime’s words were as sharp as knives as he quickly undressed them both to an acceptable level, “and I don’t mind if you date the little twink.” With a thrust, Tooru fell to his back on the desk as Hajime kept their hips aligned. “Actually, go ahead and post pictures or whatever, and even tag him.”

“W-Why?” Tooru gasped through Hajime’s thrusts.  
  


“I think it will make excellent cover for you. If something happens—”

“ _Iwa-chan_ …” Tooru whined as the intensity of his thrusts increased. A strong hand came to rest at his neck, and as exhilarating as the pleasure was, he felt himself falling behind.

“Stop it. You need to be as functional as a human can be, just in case. Not that I think anything will happen, but just to keep you safe. Besides, all those idols are always posting pictures of themselves and whatever fling they’ve got.” Hajime’s fingers dug into Tooru’s thigh as he bore down harder into the desk. Tooru let his head fall back as he tensed against the pressure at his hips, plus Hajime’s weight. “But…” Suddenly, Hajime reached forward and grabbed a fistful of Tooru’s thick hair, yanking him back up to eye level, “you’re still mine.”

Even during their most intimate moments, Tooru was reminded of the severity that was his life. Though he walked amongst the public every day, the moderately-well-dressed man currently pounding him into the countertop was one of the most dangerous men in the country. He watched as Hajime’s eyes closed and his grip tightened on his hair. The exhilaration of their circumstance was practically more satisfying than his actual climax, and the euphoria of it all made his mouth water. For a small-town boy, he’d come a long way.

~

Hinata Shouyou had just resigned himself to dejection when, just before his head touched his pillow, his phone vibrated from across the room. He clambered over his furniture to find his phone and paused for a sweet moment before unlocking the screen. As though an answer to some prayer, his phone alighted with the most beautiful of words.

_TOORU:_ HEY, CHIBI-CHAN!

Hinata tried his best to conceal his excitement. Yamaguchi was likely (and hopefully) sleeping pleasantly in the next room, and so he cautiously returned to his bed and tucked under the covers. He ignored his butterflies and tried his best to offer a brave response.

HINATA: I’M GLAD YOU GOT MY MESSAGE

The awkwardness of the conversation was nearly tactile, however Hinata persevered through the slow flashing of the dots, indicating an incoming response.

TOORU: OF COURSE, I WAS WAITING FOR YOU!

TOORU: SO, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.

HINATA: WHAT’S THAT?

TOORU: I KNOW YOU’RE PROBABLY SUPER BUSY WITH SCHOOL

TOORU: BUT, WOULD YOU WANT TO HANG OUT THIS WEEKEND?

Hinata stared at his phone for a long moment. The question was likely innocuous, however its contents were churning his stomach. Hinata shook his head and wrung his hair in frustration; what other twenty-two year old would be so shaken up over a friendly invitation? Every midnight conversation he’d had with Yamaguchi and the others came echoing into his ears, urging him to just relax and go with it. With a bold huff, he typed out a message as mentally draining as a final manifesto.

HINATA: I’M FREE ALL WEEKEND!

His elation was short lived, as Tooru quickly responded in kind.

TOORU: PERFECT! :)

TOORU: I GOT TICKETS TO SOMETHING REALLY COOL

TOORU: BUT YOU’LL NEED TO STAY OVERNIGHT. THAT OK?

HINATA: YEAH, THAT’S FINE

TOORU: EXCELLENT. I’LL PICK YOU UP AT 17:00 ON FRIDAY. TEXT ME YOUR ADDRESS. NIGHT-NIGHT CHIBI-CHAN.

The room, which had somehow attracted some intense gravity, suddenly decompressed to its prior atmosphere. Hinata laid against his pillow and worked to work his brain through what had happened. If he turned his head, he could see the stunning watch that laid gently against his lamp, however he was still in shock over what had occurred. Tooru’s words were as simple and kind as could be, and yet Hinata could not help but decode them. The why’s and how’s ran through his mind just long enough to make him grunt out in frustration. With an irritated glare, he flipped over and tapped at his phone until the soothing sounds of sneakers on sports flooring began to emanate.

In two days, he would pack his bags and get in the car with someone just a few inches above a total stranger. That, for some foreign reason, made him utterly giddy.


	3. You're Gonna Go Far, Kid

The nervousness Hinata felt as he sat in his apartment’s stairwell was more akin to a child’s first slumber party than an adult weekend getaway with a friend. His duffel bag was packed with enough clothes for two nights, though he would have packed more if Yamaguchi hadn’t talked him out of it. He’d hoped Yamaguchi would also be home to see him off, however he’d left earlier in the afternoon for work, though not without a stern confidence booster on his way out. Those inspirational words looped through his mind again until a rough kick to his bag tilted him towards the stair landing.

“Hey!” Hinata caught himself against the railing, though his bag flew down a few steps with an ungraceful thud. He turned to see one of his neighbors towering over him with an awful grimace; or, he assumed it was a neighbor, though he’d never seen him before.

“Don’t sit on the steps then.” The man grunted as he continued downwards. Hinata stumbled to his feet and stared on at the man in disbelief.

“You could have just asked me to move!” he marched down and grabbed his duffel bag, taking care to swing its strap sharply, sending the heavy bag into the man’s arm. With a flash, the man turned and faced Hinata directly. Though he stood on the landing two steps down, they barely met eye to eye. He had the sort of face that looked incapable of smiling, with a stern frown and narrowed brows. Hinata gulped and took another step up, hoping that someone would overhear if the man decided to beat him down. The man’s eyes drifted to Hinata’s bag, and he snorted out a laugh. “What?”

“You steal your boyfriend’s bag?” The overwhelming smugness that emanated from the man was nearly suffocating. Hinata grasped at his bag’s strap harder and shook his head.

“It’s not your business, but no, this is mine from high school.” The man scoffed and returned to his descent down the stairs.

“Figures. High schools really let anyone join a team.” Hinata stood in shock as the man turned to exit the stairwell without so much as a backwards glance. His stomach churned in embarrassment and anger; why the hell did some random guy care if he still had his high school volleyball bag? Before he had finished that thought his feet sent him down to the ground level where the man was headed towards the bus stop. He hadn’t felt so insulted in quite a while, though the sting of an adult’s words felt more harsh than a child’s. His nerves tensed as he took one step towards him, however the shining glare of a bright white car suddenly blinded him. The car—which was some foreign brand he was unfamiliar with—came up to an abrupt stop before the windows fell, allowing the blaring music to be heard.

“Hey, Chibi-chan!” Tooru leaned out through the window to wave at him, a large smile plastered across his beautiful face. Hinata stood in shock for a moment before looking back to the man; to his elation, he was looking curiously at the expensive car that had stopped for him. With a loud grunt and a wide smile, Hinata skipped over to the curb and slipped into the passenger seat. Before he had even fastened his seatbelt, the car began to speed down the road again, leaving the crabby man alone in their dust. Tooru peered over as Hinata stared out the window, “You alright?”

“Oh, yes!” Hinata suddenly remembered where he was and blushed hotly. Where Hinata had opted for jeans and a sweatshirt, Tooru wore a soft cotton button up and black slacks, making him look decidedly mature. “I was just so confused, that guy at the bus stop had kicked me for no reason.” Tooru nearly brought the car to a dead stop as he looked over.

“Are you kidding me?” Tooru turned with a direct glare over his shoulder, where the faintest shadow of his apartment building could be seen. Hinata gulped and silently cursed himself; the dark look in his eyes was instantly far more intimidating than any angry neighbor. Tooru’s hand reached for the gear shift, however Hinata shook his head and blurted out a quick dismissal.

“No, it’s okay! It was an accident, I was just so surprised because he didn’t apologize.” Tooru remained unmoving, though his eyes did glaze back over to Hinata.

“That’s not okay,” Tooru clicked his tongue, “I wanna talk to him.”

“No,” Hinata pleaded, “I don’t think he meant it. I’m okay, I promise.” Tooru stared into his eyes for a moment before he returned his hands to the wheel and continued forward. Hinata deflated as he slipped his duffel strap over his shoulder and let the bag fall to the floor of the car. If he’d have told Yamaguchi about what happened, they’d have just joked and called their neighbor obscene names. He had not expected Tooru to become so angry, though after thinking for a moment, adults typically did not just kick one another without confrontation. He forced himself to steady his nerves as he began to observe the luxurious interior of the car, where the true nature of his surroundings finally began to sink in. “This is the fanciest car I’ve ever been in.”

“Ha-ha, you like it? My Iwa-chan bought it for my twenty-fifth birthday.” Tooru lightly tapped his finger on a small picture stuck in the front dash. “That’s him; ain’t he a looker?” Hinata looked over the picture with surprise. For as fashionable and modern as Tooru dressed, the other man in the picture wore black pants, a polo shirt, and a mild smile. They looked like entire opposites, though he couldn’t help but find them a beautiful couple.

“What’s his name?”

“Hajime,” Tooru tapped on the car’s touch screen to navigate to its GPS, “but he’s been my ‘Iwa-chan’ since we were little.”

“And… he’s okay with you going out for the weekend?” Hinata tried not to sound so insecure, however Tooru seemed to either not notice or not care.

“I should probably explain,” Tooru turned the dial so the music softened to a whisper. “My Iwa-chan is a very simple man. We’ve been best friends since we were, like, seven years old. He’s always been a hard worker, and he often works entire weeks away from home. Of course, I don’t mind; I just shop or go to spas until he comes back. However, he’s gotten worried that I don’t have many friends to spend time with. So,” Tooru gave a sly smirk, “he was actually ecstatic to hear that I’d met you, and even suggested we go on a trip while he’s out of town.”

“Wow,” Hinata gulped as he played with his hands, “Hajime-san sounds like an amazing person.” In a short summary, Tooru had laid out one of the most mature relationships Hinata had ever seen. His chest fluttered at the thought of such a loving commitment with someone for so long. Glancing again at the picture, he felt his stomach tense with what he could only assume was jealousy; while his expression more resembled that of a soldier, Hajime’s angular features were remarkably attractive.

“He’s alright,” Tooru stuck his tongue out, “though, enough about Iwa-chan! Aren’t you curious where we’re going?” Suddenly, Hinata’s eyes were directed to the GPS and their surroundings.

“I can see that we’re heading north,” he laughed out, “and, if it were me, I’d go see the springs at Yaita.” Tooru shook his head coyly, and Hinata resigned his efforts; after all, there was about half of the country ahead of them.

“Well, I’ll give you a prize if you can guess before we get there.”

That prize may as well have been nonexistent, because before they had even left the Tokyo area, Tooru pulled into a small, seemingly empty airport. He brought their car drove directly onto the tarmac before hopping out, engine running and all. Hinata hurried out just in time for the blaringly loud sound of a plane pulling towards them to deafen him. Tooru hoisted his white backpack over his shoulder before joining him in admiring the pristine jet to taxi from its hangar. He leaned an elbow onto Hinata’s shoulder with a playful smirk.

“Yeah, I don’t think I’ll get the guess right.” Tooru laughed aloud as he guided Hinata to the plane. Workers appeared from somewhere unseen to bring a gangway over to them, and as the surreal scene played out, Hinata noticed several white suitcases being brought out from the car’s trunk. Suddenly, his large duffel bag didn’t seem so heavy.

~

It was dark by the time the pilot announced that they’d be landing soon. Hinata yawned as he looked out of the small windows. He’d only been on an airplane once as a child, and it certainly was nowhere near as comfortable as this one. The lone flight attendant had poured them champagne when they boarded—Tooru said he didn’t like it much, but that it was just what you did on a private jet—and the pilot had personally shook both of their hands before they took off. Hinata had no fear of heights, though every wobble of the small plane did leave him somewhat weary. During the short flight Tooru explained how he’d called to borrow a fellow model’s boyfriend’s—actually sugar daddy’s—jet to take them for the weekend. Hinata gaped as the attendant served them seemingly endless glasses of crystal water and bowls of fresh fruit; even first class airlines likely weren’t as posh. As they fastened their seatbelts to prepare for landing, Tooru offered one last time to guess their location.

“I mean,” Hinata looked out of the window to see the dark mountains looming behind glimmering cities. Honestly, it looked like any scene one would imagine they’d see on a plane. Curiously, however, he noted a particular patch of towns in the hills, all seemingly thrown haphazardly onto the landscape. Somehow, his eyes began to draw a line connecting those small dots in the geography, before his heart suddenly leapt in his chest. “We’re in Miyagi…”

Tooru squealed and clapped his hands excitedly, “Yes! Oh, I was gonna be so bummed if you didn’t notice. Surprise!”

“Tooru, I…” Hinata sat very still for a moment. He had not been able to come home since he left for university, not that there was much of a home to return to. Regardless, just seeing the familiar landscape of his home prefecture lit his heart.

“Hey, no tears!” Tooru snapped his fingers, “this is strictly a happy trip! If you cry I’ll turn this plane around!”

“No you won’t.” The pilot’s voice on the intercom cut in, and both the two boys and the attendant burst into laughter. Hinata did feel moisture in his eyes, however they were from such a strangely positive source, he wasn’t sure they could be considered tears.

They disembarked the plane and thanked their crew before Tooru marched towards a sleek black domestic car parked on the tarmac. Hinata sighed at the familiar smell of distant sea air as they turned onto a quiet uptown street. Tooru had mentioned that he hadn’t been to his apartment much, however he expertly navigated through the city to reach a remarkably pristine apartment tower. They parked in the underground lot before Tooru took a deep breath and looked over before shutting down the car with a flourish. They navigated up to the elevator where Tooru pressed the button for the main level. Hinata watched in curiosity; he’d expected Tooru to tap on the highest button, though he hated that he had assumed that.

The tower’s lobby was not overly decorated, however in the early evening glow, it radiated a soft warmth more akin to a mountainside inn. They crossed over to the stairwell before Tooru shot him a devious smirk.

“Wanna take the stairs or the elevator?”

“Well, how many floors up are we going? I don’t mind the stairs,” Hinata shrugged, however Tooru continued at him until he added, “but I suppose we should take the elevator.”

“Why, yes, that’s a great idea!” The corny tone in his voice was oddly childish, however Hinata could not help but feel that he was trying very hard to speak slowly. They stepped into the second elevator, which was covered in a glossy wooden finish. This time Tooru tapped on the button only labeled “PH” before entering a code. “Watch, Chibi-chan.” Tooru tapped in the four digit code—0104—which caused the elevator’s doors to slide shut before the car took them up. By the warbled sounds and intense shaking of the car, Hinata felt as though they were flying towards the sky. “If you have to get in and I’m not here, just enter that code, okay?” Hinata agreed, however he couldn’t imagine why he’d be there without Tooru.

Finally, the elevator came to a stop and opened them out into what Hinata could only call a mansion. Wide windows spanned the whole length of the walls, allowing for a beautiful view of the city’s lights. The apartment looked more like a hotel room with spotless furniture and shining wooden floors. Tooru entered and tossed his backpack onto the sofa with a satisfied sigh. “What do you think?”

“It’s amazing,” Hinata stepped in and immediately slipped his shoes off; Tooru giggled and followed suit. “I have never seen such a beautiful view of the city!”

“Go around that corner,” Tooru pointed towards a hallway off of the main living room. Hinata padded down the hall until he came to another large living area adjoined by closed doors. To his amazement, Hinata could see the flurry of ships and boats glowing out on the bay, bathed in the bright white water of the moon’s reflection. In that moment, he nearly felt nauseous; he must’ve been dreaming to stand in such a place. He looked at the large screened tv, glass-topped table, and sofas that all looked like they’d never been sat on before, with a strange mix of awe and worry. This was the sort of place one would see in a celebrity magazine, and his well-worn jeans and wrinkled shirt certainly did not fit in. “Chibi-chan?”

With a start, Hinata looked to see Tooru staring at him with a worried look in his eyes. Hinata quickly straightened himself up before stepping over to the adjacent sofa. Tooru joined him, taking care not to sit too close.

“I’m fine, it’s just,” he rubbed at his head—why was he making this so awkward? —and looked out the window, “I’m speechless. This place is—”

“Speechless, huh?” Tooru winked, and Hinata finally let out a tense laugh. “Well, I’m glad you like it,” he rose to his feet, “and you can stay here any time you’d like if you want to come visit family or whatever. Now, I’m starving, let’s order something to eat!” As Tooru sauntered out of the room, Hinata looked on for a long moment before he exhaled a shaky breath. He clenched his knuckles before rising to his feet with a determined push. Whatever luck had placed himself where he now stood, he ought to take it in stride. Yamaguchi’s words of encouragement echoed through his ears once again as he marched after Tooru with a newfound—and arguably fictitious—confidence.

“If we’re going to eat out,” Hinata said boldly with a smile, “I’d love some gyutan barbecue.” Tooru’s elated approval could be heard from deeper in the apartment; Hinata searched to find him, however all he saw were an assortment of white suitcases mysteriously placed directly before the elevator door.


	4. The Devil's In the Details

When the bitter smell of coffee wafted over to him, Hinata lay wondering why Yamaguchi was brewing coffee so early in the morning. However, as his eyes slowly peeled open, the pristine shine of high gloss paint that surrounded him most certainly was not from their small apartment. He sat up with a start, and as he groped at the soft, silky sheets he’d been wrapped in, his mind snapped back to reality. The guest bedroom of Tooru’s upscale apartment was larger than the living room and kitchen of his own flat, and the sheer white curtains over the windows made the room’s perimeter swell. It would be easier to just assume that he was dreaming.

Returning to the smell of coffee, Hinata stretched out of the large mattress and slipped his socks on. Padding across the wooden floor, he came to the hallway that led to the main living room, the strong smell growing more direct with every step. As he rounded the corner, the sight of Tooru sitting near the large windows, knees tucked into his chest, more resembled a tv commercial than a man sipping coffee at dawn. As Hinata entered the main room, Tooru looked over and smiled with a yawn.

“Morning, Chibi-chan! I didn’t think you were an early riser.” Hinata walked over to stand near the plush sofa and gingerly sat down. Tooru huffed a smile and reached over to tug at the mass of fluff that was Hinata’s hair. “Now _that_ is some serious bedhead.”

“Oh, yeah,” Hinata laughed out, “and I normally don’t wake up so early, but I smelled your coffee.”

“Oh, I’m sorry if I woke you up,” Tooru’s lips twisted up into a coy smile, “but, if you’re up now, then we can go and do some shopping before tonight.” Hinata nodded, however his brows lowered as Tooru sipped innocently at his coffee. He’d been trying to pry out his plans for their trip the whole night before, and he had almost succeeded. However, it would seem that Tooru’s tolerance for wine was substantially stronger than Hinata’s, and so the topic was dropped before dinner was over. Hinata looked out the large windows at the city’s lights; the marine layer had not evaporated yet, leaving the city in a cool-toned, hazy lull. It was strange to be so close to home and still feel so far away. He’d wondered the night before if his sister would be home this weekend, however he settled it would be best to simply leave his family be.

“What time is this surprise at?” Hinata asked as Tooru finished off his coffee.

“We’re allowed to go in at four o’clock, but I think we’ll go at about five, since the actual event doesn’t start until six.” Tooru walked over to the large kitchen bar and began to pour himself another cup. “You want one?”

“Sure.”

Once Tooru was seated again they sipped at their coffees in a strange quiet. For so early in the morning, Tooru looked absolutely immaculate in a pressed white shirt and soft cotton trousers. Hinata felt severely underdressed in his pajamas, however he was beginning to feel that he would always be underdressed compared to the model. They mused over where they should go to pass the time, and once their plans were solidified Hinata quickly dressed and combed at his hair before they descended the tower’s elevator. The lobby was sparsely populated with well-dressed residents as they passed through to the garage. There were more cars than there had been the night before, however none were as noticeable as Tooru’s sleek black coupe. Before they reached the door, Tooru’s phone beeped with above average intensity. He struggled with the device as they slipped into their seats, however Tooru simply sat, unmoving, as he stared at the screen.

“Is everything okay?” Hinata asked. Tooru’s head snapped up as if he had forgotten where he was. He looked over as he quickly shoved his phone back into his crossbody bag, offering a clearly fake, though equally charming smile.

“Yup! Perfectly fine.” His finger came to the ignition button too fast and he nearly jammed his nail as the engine quietly roared to life. With as little movements as he could he maneuvered them out of the parking lot and down into the now crowded streets. Tooru continued to speak as if nothing had happened, however Hinata saw that it took several blocks for Tooru’s hands to finally relax on the steering wheel.

~

Hinata had never done so much shopping in his life. Tooru was an absolute madman when it came to clothes and shoes; their car was as packed as it could be, and when he explained to Tooru that they simply couldn’t fit anything else, his dejected look had more resembled a toddler than a grown man. Hinata had brought what little spending money he had in the hopes of somehow keeping up, however it was no use. The second Hinata’s hand rested on a sweater or his eyes lingered over a pair of sneakers, Tooru was snatching them up to have him try on. The saleswomen in the store were equally frightening, following Tooru around like devout shopping minions, dead set on ensuring his every wish was answered. Hinata had managed to curb Tooru’s spending on him to just two pairs of jeans, three sweaters, one pair of sneakers, and one pair of boots, however Tooru’s personal consumption was far more massive. Hinata had never been so afraid in his life.

“Ah!” Tooru sighed as he reclined into his side of the booth, “that was so cathartic! I haven’t gone crazy like that in far too long.”

“I think you just made those stores’ sales quotas for the whole month, and it’s only the sixth!” Hinata jeered as Tooru stuck out his tongue. The food before them had just cooled enough to eat—Hinata had found a small cafe serving authentic Latin food—and they tucked into their heaping portions of grilled meats and sauteed veggies.

“Thank you for coming up here with me,” Tooru said as he shoved a forkful of savory rice into his mouth, “it’s much more fun to shop with someone than alone.”

“Thank you for bringing me,” Hinata’s brow twitched unnoticeably, “and for everything else, too.” Receiving a box of chocolates at Valentine’s was hard enough to express gratitude for, how on earth could he express enough to equal the amount of money he’d just been lavished with?

“I never get to buy my Iwa-chan gifts, because he always makes me return them or keep them myself. It had been so long since I’d gotten to give someone something, I feel like I’ve just lived through five years’ worth of Christmas and birthdays!” Tooru spoke between large bites of their spiced lunch with a childish grin. Hinata’s chest fluttered again, however he forced those butterflies down with a heaping scoop of rice.

Once they had eaten, Tooru hurried them back to the car and began to drive aggressively towards the downtown area. While he had sped them to the airport the day before, now his steering felt delayed and unstable. Hinata clutched at his seatbelt, however a sudden break in the traffic brought him to a calm. The silence only lingered for a short moment before the looming silhouette of a large building engulfed the foreground.

“Woah, is that…?” Hinata looked out the window with a surprised gasp, “we’re going to the arena?” Tooru nodded with a perky smile as they turned down the long driveway that led to the venue’s parking. Hinata had been to this very arena many times, and had played within it during high school. The landscape was unchanged, however the parking lot looked freshly paved and the marquees recently replaced. The lot was quickly filling, however Tooru brought them to a drop-off area farther from the entrance. “Oh, we can park over there—” Hinata pointed over Tooru’s view, however the man simply threw his door open and slipped off the seat.

“Come along, Chibi-chan.” Tooru cooed from the adjacent sidewalk. Hinata stepped out with a look, however the car’s shift in weight alarmed him as he turned to find a larger man sitting in the driver’s seat. Realizing he was holding the poor man up, he let the door shut quietly before the taillights disappeared into a garage. Of course they would use valet parking, why wouldn’t they? “I think they’re just about to start!” As they sped into the large glass doors of the arena’s VIP entrance, Hinata’s ears were flooded with the unmistakable sounds of athletic shoes squeaking against a polished floor. Tooru led the way down along hallway before they excited onto a balcony roughly one meter above the court. The stadium was relatively full, however from their seats, the sound was essentially muted. Hinata looked in silence at the familiar stadium; as the players warmed up their legs, he could practically envision their perspective.

“I think I really did die,” Hinata murmured as he looked to Tooru, “I don’t know what to say. How did you know I’d want to see a volleyball game?”

“’Don’t know what to say,’ huh?” Tooru teased with a wink, “and you said you used to play volleyball, so I thought why not come see a game?” Hinata looked at him incredulously; he didn’t even remember mentioning that he’d played volleyball. The high tune of whistles broke his concentration as the teams aligned and prepared to start.

It took more restraint to keep off of the court than Hinata would have predicted. The players were marvelous in their technique, and with every set and every spike, he felt as if he had slipped back to three years prior. The bittersweet tingling in his legs made his feet bounce with every bump. In that moment, he felt the urge to run and jump more than he had in years. Tooru peered over at him as he sat, however Hinata was entirely enwrapped in the game like a child fixed on a cartoon. Hinata’s face showed textbook-perfect happiness, however behind his cute eyes and vibrant smile, the faintest glow of sadness faded over him.

“I played on this very court, back in high school,” Hinata gripped at his knees, “and I’d give anything to run on that court again.” Though his face retained a smile, the tone of his words fell as he spoke.

“You played here?” Tooru asked pensively. Hinata nodded and pointed to a large banner at the back of one grandstand. The bold characters painted across the banner proudly declared, “Miyagi Spring High School Volleyball Prelims”, which was to be held in just a few months.

“My school made it to nationals all three years, though we never did manage to win it,” he chuckled, “but we always won in this stadium.” Hinata huffed a bright smile and turned his head, “Thank you for bringing me here.”

Tooru’s chest swirled enough to make his cheeks redden. However, if he didn’t know that the warmth in his face came from himself, he could have believed that it was radiating from the young man seated beside him. Hinata had a decent smile normally—crooked and a little toothy, however, it suited him perfectly—and yet as he continued talking about his days playing volleyball, the gleeful expression on his face was otherworldly. A few others nearby had turned at the sound of Hinata’s speech, and Tooru did not miss how they lingered at the sight of him. His own face cocked into a smile; this boy was truthfully a child of sunshine.

With a blare of the buzzer, the first set of the professional game came to an early end. Tooru slipped towards a salesperson and brought down two sodas as the announcers discussed the player’s performances. “Wow, that first set was a blowout!” Hinata clapped as the teams prepared for their second set. “I really haven’t kept up with the professional scene enough. I didn’t even know about this Schweiden Adlers team; they’re something else! Though,” he focused his eyes onto the team in white, “I swear I’ve seen some of those players before.” 


	5. I'm Looking for Something to Get By

Volleyball is a sport that requires constant movement, flexibility, finesse, and as much stamina as one could muster. At the highest levels, volleyball was likely one of the most athletic sports in the world, though surely that topic could be debated. However, no one could argue that the sight of a man floating well above the net was as sporty an image as ever. While he’d played in this arena many times before, it had always been at a different level. High school playing was competitive—arguably more so simply due to hormones and school pride—however professional games were far more technical and coordinated. Flashy spikes and outlandish serves were fun, however championships are not won by the coolest players, they are won by those who refuse to let the ball hit the ground. The first set of their match had just concluded, and they’d barely broken sweats. The air in Miyagi had been kind and refreshing, and while he knew that none of his family were watching, it did feel somewhat nice to be back home.

“Oi, Kageyama!” Their manager called over to the man, “check your arm.” He looked at the large bandage that was stuck to his forearm with an irritated look. He’d bumped a sharp edge earlier that morning, and while it did not hurt, it bled like crazy. He checked that the sports bandage was still in place and nodded over towards their bench. The players all took their positions, and the second set began.

Kageyama looked over towards the stands for a short second as the opposing team arranged themselves. For being in Sendai, he was pleased at how many people had come, however the stadium was anything but packed. Several students sat packed together in clusters surrounded by couples and single guests spread through the stands. Just as he turned back towards the net, a bright flash of orange caught his attention.

The ball came flying over, and with a proper receive he turned to set it back up before the pleasing sound of a successful spike thundered in his ears. He’d been playing for years, however the satisfaction of a spiker nailing one of his sets never failed him. Normally, he would huff on to the next play, however his eyes lingered on their bench for a short moment. Why did he want to look at the stands? He didn’t care who came to watch him play. The whistle blew, and with a rush he turned back towards the net. If he wanted to look, he’d have to finish this set.

“Hey,” Kageyama turned to see his teammate, Hoshiumi, looking at him pointedly, “what’re you so distracted for?”

  
“What? I’m not distracted,” Kageyama huffed, “I just remember this team being more aggressive.” They both looked across the net at their opponents. They had played once before the previous year, however that was before several of their players changed teams. What had once been an exciting matchup felt more like a scrimmage.

“Yeah, well their defense is still good,” Hoshiumi offered, “but don’t change the subject. You’re thinking about something, so spill it.” Hoshiumi, despite his stature, was incredibly intimidating up close. Kageyama shook him off and stepped back to his position to prepare for the next serve. His brow twitched with irritation at Hoshiumi’s words. He was in his home region, though none of his family were in the stands; why wouldn’t he feel a little irritated?

“Get back up to your spot.” Kageyama said manner-of-factly. Hoshiumi huffed and returned to his position near the net, however the sharp look in his wide eyes clearly translated that Kageyama was not being let off the hook. He groaned silently as the next serve came up, however just as he braced for the receive, his eyes slid across to the stands and landed on an unmistakable head of orange hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any delays! I started at a new uni this week and it's been hectic. However! I plan on being much more consistent here in the future. For being patient, I'm gonna upload two chapters tonight. Thank you to everyone who leaves kudos and reviews! It really helps <3


	6. Put Down Your Drink, You're Ready

“Oh that was amazing!” Hinata grasped at his armrests as the final whistle announced the victor. The enthusiasm of the crowd mixed with the inertia of the players, culminating in a feeling that he could barely blink through. He felt his heart quicken in his chest as the players shook their opponents’ hands, his own palms aching to do the same. He hadn’t felt so damn excited in years. “Tooru!” he yelled over the crowd’s cheers, “you’re the best!” With a smile that spread across his face, Hinata flung his arms out and gripped Tooru into a tight embrace. With a chuckle, Tooru brought his hands to rest near Hinata’s shoulders.

“I aim to please,” Tooru leaned down to speak closer to Hinata’s ears so that he might hear him through the din. However, the effect left Hinata’s face flushed red all over again. Tooru stepped back just enough to see Hinata’s flustered face perk up. “So, how about we head back home? I’m thinking about ordering in,” he peered over at Hinata again before gathering their trash to dump near the aisle, “you coming?”

Hinata stood looking over near the player’s benches as they proceeded to their locker rooms. Tooru leaned over and eyed up the team. They were all well-built and arguably attractive, though they all had the same goofy athlete countenances. However, as they began to shuffle off of the court, he saw a vaguely familiar figure looking directly back up at them. Or rather, looking at Hinata. For whatever reason, Tooru let his arms stretch out and bring Hinata into a tight embrace. Hinata huffed in surprise as he struggled to return the sentiment, however Tooru was too focused on his goal to relent. The man down below furrowed his brows and slipped away with his teammates, though Tooru was sure to flash him a smile before he did so. With a triumphant cheer, Tooru finally turned and led Hinata out of their aisle. While he tried to peek over the taller man’s shoulder, Hinata couldn’t regain sight of the man on the court.

~

Just as Tooru popped the cork of another bottle of wine, the doorbell chimed to signal their food had arrived. Hinata giggled his way over to the door and fiddled with the knob before flinging it wide open. The delivery person was either indifferent or too tired, as he simply marched in and left their food on the table before slipping out. Tooru laughed aloud at Hinata’s grace as they rejoined at the sofa. The fresh smell of fried chicken and pork filled the room, and once they had unpacked all of the small containers, they dug into their feast. For the whole evening, Tooru had endlessly entertained Hinata with a series of trivia games and movies, all culminating in their current condition: drunk, hungry, four episodes in on a new comedy-drama, and reasonably tired. As the next episode of the show began to play on the large tv, Hinata sighed with a toothy grin.

“I feel like I’m in heaven,” he sang as he plopped a large helping of pork noodles into his mouth, “which makes you an angel.”

“Oh, I’m no angel,” Tooru chuckled as he helped himself to a succulent piece of fried chicken, “though you certainly are.”

“No way,” Hinata shrugged him off with a giggle, “you are, that’s why you’re so pretty.” Tooru did not need to say anything, as Hinata’s eyes slammed open on their own as he sat up with a start. His face blushed as red as their wine as he rewound what he’d said in his mind. When he finally looked over, Tooru could not help but take pity on him. “Wait! Wait… oh my god,” he stammered, “uhm, I didn’t mean—what I meant, was—” As the boy struggled to find any sort of word, Tooru slowly reached over and brought his hand to cup Hinata’s cheek. His skin radiated warm heat in his palm, though Tooru did not miss just how perfectly his hand wrapped around his jaw. Hinata looked up in silence at the older man.

“I won’t tease you,” Tooru whispered with a smile, “in fact, I’ll let you decide.” Hinata’s heart raced to catch himself and ask for clarification before Tooru pulled him close, placing a soft, warm kiss onto his forehead. It was something wholly unexpected—not that Hinata had been expecting anything—though as he laid against Tooru’s chest, he felt no desire to move. His paradise was short lived as Tooru lifted him again for their eyes to meet. “I like you. In fact, I like you so much, I’d like to date you.”

Hinata stalled as Tooru held him on the plush sofa. Though he was certainly not drunk—Tooru had to be closer to that after three glasses of wine—he felt his body tense and his blood race. At the same moment that his mind was urging him to move, his body was begging him to stay in his warmth. That tug and pull left him with his mouth hanging open and his hands tensed against Tooru’s waist. He had wondered exactly what Tooru wanted from their relationship; he seemed perfectly content with them being friends, and even went out of his way to explain that he already had a boyfriend. In any other situation, this would be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. However, as much as Hinata tried to explain it all away, he could not help but feel drawn to Tooru’s smiles and words. Every time they walked together, Hinata noticed in awe as people watched them on the streets, wondering who that beautiful man and the orange haired kid were. It was exhilarating. With a gulp he forced himself to remember Yamaguchi’s words of encouragement. If there were ever a time for him to be decisive, it was now.

With a push, Hinata brought himself up and landed just before Tooru’s face. The man’s brown eyes looked molten as he adjusted their position, swinging Hinata’s leg over his lap with a flourish. Their closeness was nearly suffocating, though Hinata felt no dire need to breathe. With a clench of his gut, he leaned forward and tentatively placed his lips on Tooru’s, so soft that he could barely feel. They sat in silence for a moment before Tooru giggled out, breaking their serious situation.

“Were you hoping I’d kiss you?” Tooru asked with a smirk. Hinata stammered again before Tooru caught his chin in his large hand. “Yes or no?”

“Yes.” Hinata tried his best to contain his body as the man’s hands traced by his arms. While he should have felt the intense romance of an older man seducing him, his heart fluttered as if they were children at a sleepover, curiously experimenting on one another. Tooru’s eyes narrowed as he tightened his grip on Hinata’s arms before he finally closed the distance between them.

Hinata had been kissed before, however Tooru must have kissed hundreds of times to be so well practiced. His lips moved softly against Hinata’s, parting in time to allow them to breathe, though not allowing too much stalling. While Hinata’s stomach churned with excitement and energy, his legs twitched with the urge to move. The movement had to be enough for Tooru to feel, however he remained calm, simply kissing at Hinata’s mouth and jaw as his hands roamed along his body. Everywhere he touched felt electrified, and he was still wearing a long-sleeve shirt and jeans; the thought of how his touches would feel on his skin was nearly too much, as Hinata’s hips bucked forward an inch.

“Oh?” Tooru pulled away, a line of saliva connecting them, “have you been kissed like this before?” Tooru worked at his jawline and neck as Hinata struggled to answer.

“Uh, yeah, well no,” he groaned, “it’s never been like this…” Hinata jumped as Tooru’s hands came to his hips with a sharp pinch. Tooru chuckled against his neck as he let his tongue mark a thin line up to his ear. Hinata shivered through the endeavor, though Tooru rewarded his patience with a long kiss.

“I’ve been told I’m very good,” Tooru whispered against his lips, “and for your sake, I hope that’s true.” Hinata murmured some sort of approval as Tooru peppered kisses along his collarbone. With a sudden start, Hinata pushed him off and brought himself down to Tooru’s jaw, allowing himself to kiss at the milky skin there. Tooru cooed just loudly enough for Hinata to hear, with an added squeeze onto his bottom. Hinata’s mouth fell ajar with a rough groan as he kissed at Tooru’s neck, his own body urging him to simply keep going. Suddenly, Tooru brought his hands forward with a pouted smile.

“Ah, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” he sang as he lightly brought Hinata to sit beside him on the sofa, “we still need to finish our dinner!” Hinata stared in disbelief as Tooru transitioned back to his usual self, shoveling their now lukewarm food into his mouth as though they hadn’t just spent the last minute making out. With a nervous hand, Hinata retook his plate and resumed eating while Tooru pressed play on the remote. The most romantic moment of his life had evaporated just as quickly as it began. As the tension in the room released, Hinata found himself leaning into Tooru’s side, as snugly as if they were cuddling. When he noticed their closeness however, he simply sank into the man deeper. When the episode came to an end, Tooru leaned down just enough for his lips to brush Hinata’s ear. “Don’t worry. I won’t leave you in wanting all night.”


	7. I see a chance, I take it slow

Tooru was a very methodical person, Hinata was finding. When they finished eating, he cleared all of their plates and ensured that the trash was set and ready to be taken in the morning. The tv was turned off, curtains in the bedroom were drawn, and he whisked away to his bathroom to shower. Hinata elected to do the same, if only to allow himself time to let his brain rest. He wished he were alone so that he could text Yamaguchi for backup, however he knew he wouldn’t be able to describe what had occurred. As he lathered his hair in shampoo, he forced himself to be calm.

_Tooru is eccentric. He is touchy, caring, and romantic._ He forced his thoughts to come through cleanly as he took the slowest shower of his life. _He likes me. Do I like him?_

He shut the water off and shook the water out of his hair, causing it to form into its usual poofy mess. He donned his pajamas and combed his hair, though he took care to brush his teeth before slipping out of the guest bathroom.

_Do I like him?_

That thought pounded against his head with a dull thudding that dominated his hearing. With a flop, he laid out onto the bed and closed his eyes. If Yamaguchi were there, he’d go through the events and list them out in a way Hinata could easily understand.

_Okay, I’ll be Yamaguchi: Tooru said he likes you, and that he wants to date you. He already has a boyfriend, but maybe he is still lonely. Maybe they are in an open relationship? If they’re both always busy, they might be okay with the other finding attention elsewhere. But do you like Tooru?_

“Yes.” Hinata spoke aloud as his eyes slammed open. As though his chest had just been unlocked, his heart began to dance about as his blood raced. He sat up with a bolt of energy and a newfound purpose as he pulled a fresh pair of socks on and set his watch on the bedside table. With a bold nod and a silent prayer, he walked out of his room, sending his sincere thanks to Yamaguchi for his guidance.

Tooru was seated on his bed with his eyed focused on his phone; he hardly noticed Hinata enter until he came to the foot of the bed. Tooru jumped and tossed the phone over the edge of the bed before leaping over to where Hinata stood.

“It’s like a slumber party,” Tooru giggled, “are you cold?” His fingers pulled at the sleeve of Hinata’s shirt while he looked at the cotton shorts he wore.

“No, I’m a hot body at night.” Hinata regretted the words before they left his mouth as Tooru smirked and pinched at his exposed thigh.

“Your words, not mine,” he wiggled his eyebrows, “though I’m sure it’s still true.” Tooru rose to close the door before he turned with a flourish, producing a small remote from his sweatpants’ pocket. With a short click, the lights in the room turned from their usual warm vanilla hue to a far more saturated deep blue. Another click of the remote produced a soft pink glow that inched up the walls, meeting near the middle to make a lovely violet. The final click brought the ceiling into play as what appeared to be thousands of small lights twinkled in the white plaster. Hinata stood in awe as the room transformed like a theme park ride.

“That’s amazing,” Hinata said in awe, “I think I saw lights like this online—”

“You did!” Tooru shook excitedly as he flipped onto his back on the bed, “it was in a music video I did about a year ago. I absolutely loved the lights they used for this one scene, and I begged the AV guy to do the same to my house. I loved how it came out, so I had him come to the apartment to do it, too.” He closed his eyes with a childish smile, “These colors make me feel like cotton candy.” Hinata joined him on his back as they watched the ceiling slowly sparkle for a few short moments.

“Um, Tooru?”

“Hmm?”

“You… said you liked me before.”

“That I did,” Tooru turned onto his side, though he was careful to leave some distance between them, “I hope that didn’t upset you.”

“No! No,” Hinata shook his head as he sat up and crossed his legs, “it didn’t upset me at all. It’s more… I guess I am just nervous. You have a boyfriend, after all.”

“Ah, well, Iwa-chan is more than a boyfriend,” Tooru sighed, “he’s my best friend, and he’s probably my soulmate, if such a thing exists. However, we’re complete opposites. We always have been. I love to go out and have a good time, while Iwa-chan is a workaholic. His business is international now, so he always seems to be working.” The low light played tricks on Tooru’s face, as Hinata almost thought he saw him grimace. “However, I love him. He may be my partner, but he’s certainly no lover.”

Hinata was unsure of what to say, and so he remained silent. Tooru’s hands played with their fingers over his toned stomach, visible from his shirt being caught up behind him. It was a somber view to see someone so utterly beautiful laying in such soft colors; Hinata wished he could somehow snap a picture. Finally, Tooru opened his eyes with a wide smile as he glossed over to Hinata.

“I suppose this is a lot for you to take in, huh?” Tooru leaned onto his elbow to ruffle at Hinata’s slightly damp hair. “So, how about you tell me about you. Past loves? Current loves? I wanna hear it.” The sudden shift in the tone was physical, however the brightness it brought to the room was incredibly comfortable.

“Oh, I’m far less exciting,” Hinata chuckled, “in high school I was so focused on volleyball that I really didn’t have time for anything else. I almost didn’t get into university, though I somehow managed to get decent enough grades before entrance exams. But I definitely did not have a social life, much less any relationships.”

“How come you didn’t go on to play volleyball in college?” Tooru flipped onto his stomach and rested his head in his hands; again, what a perfect photo-op.

“Well, I wanted to, but I got hurt pretty badly my senior year.” Hinata lifted his leg to show the thin, shallow scar that ran behind his knee. “I fell off my bike and went down a cliff, though I thought I was fine at first. I broke my arm, but the worse part was that most of the ligaments in my knee were just thrashed. I had surgery on it that winter, but by then, my hopes at going professional just seemed too lofty. Ironically, me getting hurt gave me the time to really study for my exams.”

The story was one that Hinata had told before, and yet it still hurt how he felt obligated to smile through it. Tooru listened attentively as he traced his finger along the nearly invisible scar. “I don’t know if it’s worse that you hurt yourself while not playing, than while playing.”

“I think it’s better this way,” Hinata nodded, “if I’d have hurt myself playing, I don’t think I’d be able to ever accept not playing again. I’d want to prove that I could still do it. But now,” he shrugged with a short laugh, “it sounds corny, but I honestly just hope to find a decent job and figure out the rest from there.”

“You’re still so young,” Tooru sighed, “you could truly do anything you wanted.” He cocked his head with a wide-eyed look. “If you could do anything after you graduate, what would it be?”

“That’s a classic interview question,” Hinata sighed with a laugh, “but if I could do anything, I think I’d want to be a coach or a trainer. Something to keep me active, y’know?”

“Why not do that then?”

“Living in Tokyo really isn’t cheap,” Hinata narrowed his eyes with a smile as Tooru puffed out his lips, “and I would like to avoid moving back home.”

“Is that a conversation for today?”

“No, we’ll need a lot more wine for that.” They both broke out in a fluffy laughter than left them both silent as they laid on the plush bed. For a long moment, they both remained quiet under the comforting glow of candy lights. The room was comforting and warm enough to sleep without any covers, and so Hinata was surprised when his fingers reached out and scraped at the sheets, finally landing atop Tooru’s palm. He could feel Tooru turn his head to look down, however Hinata kept his eyes focused on the ceiling.

“Y’know, I’ve spent the last three years worried about graduating and figuring out how to occupy myself. But,” he turned to see Tooru looked at him with a glazed smile, “I think this is the first week in a long time that I haven’t stressed about school. Granted,” he sat up with a mischievous frown, “I’ve been stressed for completely different reasons…”

“I have no clue what you could possibly mean,” Tooru whistled innocently.

“My point is,” Hinata rolled his eyes as Tooru snickered, “I guess I forgot that, outside of school and finding a job, that I don’t have to spend all of my time inside.” Tooru looked at him with awaiting eyes before Hinata flopped onto his stomach, his fluffy hair falling onto Tooru’s lips. “If… if I do… I mean if we do, y’know…”

“Date?”

“That. If we do, I’m just worried that I would bore you eventually. I can’t jet you away or take you shopping—” With a sudden start, Tooru sat up and pushed Hinata back into the pillows, his face strangely serious.

“I did not ask you for that,” Tooru spoke with a low voice, “I simply wish to know if you’d like to spend more time together. If you do, but platonically, then we can continue on simply shopping and seeing the sights. If you’re not sure yet, then we’ll figure it out later. But,” he let his finger rest on Hinata’s bottom lip, “if you are attracted to me, as I am to you, then I would love nothing more than the opportunity to explore you.”

Hinata’s breath came out in a hushed wheeze that caused Tooru to bend over with laughter. Hinata himself was unable to move as his face burned bright red, however Tooru wiggled with a raucous laugh that echoed through the room. He finally met Hinata’s eyes, and the brilliant smile on Tooru’s face was the final blow. Hinata pushed his knuckles against the pillow, bringing them together before slamming them back onto the mattress. Tooru’s giggles quietly receded as Hinata allowed himself to kiss at his lips. When they broke apart, Tooru was pleased to see that his cheeks were still blushing furiously.

“Shall I pencil you in for a maybe?” Tooru quipped before Hinata retook his mouth again, his long lashes shielding his eyes from the beauty before him. As if content with the fun he’d had—at Hinata’s expense—Tooru brought his hands up to begin rubbing at Hinata’s sides. The kisses before had been sweet and long, more reminiscent of a farewell kiss before a long trip. Now, the frustration that had built up seemed to be too much for Hinata, as his mouth moved in more desperate manners to find new contact.

With an elegant flip, Tooru swung Hinata’s legs so that he landed atop him before sitting them both upright. Hinata suddenly felt engulfed; Tooru was much taller than him, however at this angle, his entire field of view was either Tooru’s chest, arms, or face.

“You tell me when to stop.” Tooru demanded as he allowed his hands to pull at Hinata’s shirt. Once they were both topless, they took a moment to appreciate the respective spectacles before them. With a start, Tooru returned to Hinata’s collarbone, however this time he allowed his teeth to scrape along his soft skin, eliciting shivers as he worked his way down Hinata’s chest.

The shock of Tooru’s fingers was electric as he began to play near Hinata’s waistband. With a slow tug, Hinata’s breath exhaled out as his warm fingers began to play at his navel. With every articulation he could feel his heart beating faster, and when Tooru suddenly stopped, it was as though his heaty did too.

“Okay?” Tooru asked softly. Hinata could say nothing as he nodded, his teeth gritting together as the scent of Tooru’s hair wafted down to him. If this was how couples always were intimate, he was sure that he would have a heart attack every night. Slowly, Tooru’s long fingers traced themselves down and came to rest at the soft patch of hair. Hinata shuddered and let his head fall toward Tooru’s chest as he gasped for air. “Hey, talk to me.”

“Oh I can’t,” Hinata barked out as his hips bucked up to meet Tooru’s hand. With a sinister giggle Tooru finally allowed the space between them to close. As though a heater had been turned directly onto him, Hinata gasped at just how warm his hand felt. Of course he had touched himself, however the intense heat that burned at his groin was nearly too much to handle. “Wow.”

Tooru shushed kisses into Hinata’s hair as he slowly began to move his hand in time with the boy’s staccato breathing. It had been a long time since he had been the initiator, and while his own groin ached, Tooru’s focus was zeroed in on every movement Hinata made. When his stomach tensed and his mouth hung ajar, he brought his other hand to Hinata’s chin, forcing him up and into a fervent kiss. Hinata groaned into Tooru’s lips as he shuddered beneath him, his gasps for air going unanswered until every last wave had washed over him. Hinata’s head fell onto his shoulder with a thud while he used his discarded shirt to clean his hand.

“You okay?” Tooru asked as he kissed at his nape.

“Yeah…” Hinata mumbled, “that was…”

“Constructive criticism only, dear.” Tooru was pleased that his joke landed as Hinata laughed aloud the way orgasm-struck boys always did. With a few short twists they landed beside one another with a soft thud, the sound of Hinata’s heartbeat acting as a timer; when it slowed, Tooru pulled him up to his eye level. “So?”

“That was… I have never felt… like _that_ before.” Hinata’s bright eyes were wide in the dim light, “Should I—” Tooru cut him off with a kiss and pulled him in to his chest tightly. He maneuvered the sheets up with his toes and brought the blankets up to surround them, the cool temperature immediately soothing them both.

“For tonight, I would love to just sleep with you here. Is that okay?” Tooru kissed at Hinata’s ear. Hinata sat in silence for a long moment before he craned his head around with an even smile.

“I would love to.” Tooru kissed his nose before they both retired back into the mattress. After a while, the lights slowly began to fade away, leaving them alone in the darkness of Tooru’s bedroom. Hinata felt Tooru’s toes tug at his, and when he wiggled his own back, the feeling of joy that came from the small gesture was surprising. Tooru’s breathing soon evened out as he snuggled Hinata into his chest, and while Hinata fell asleep not too long after, he remembered the angelic look on Tooru’s face just before he closed his eyes.

_Thank you, Yamaguchi._

~

Hinata awoke sometime during the night with an intense thirst that immediately ordered him to the kitchen. He stumbled as quietly as he could out of Tooru’s room and down towards the hallway, rubbing at his eyes to adjust while he located the kitchen. The fridge was stocked like that of a hotel with neat rows of water bottles and fruit juices. He grabbed an icy bottle of water and downed nearly half of it before finally closing the fridge. With a sigh, he turned to return to bed, when he locked eyes with a man sitting placidly on the living room sofa.

“Ah!” Hinata yelled out in shock, his brain racing to decide if he should call for police, go get Tooru, or run out the door. The man chuckled and waved over to him, though it took a few moments for Hinata’s feet to inch him forward. In the dim light, he could make out the man’s features more clearly; he wore a neatly pressed shirt and slacks, and as their eyes drew closer, Hinata found some of his facial figures more recognizable. “You’re…”

“Nice to meet you, Hinata-san,” the man leaned forward with an outstretched hand. Hinata rushed forward and shook it before joining him on the opposing chair. As they looked on at one another, Hinata woefully looked over his lone cotton shorts and exposed chest compared to his professional attire. However, he was happy that he’d kept his shorts on. “I’m sorry to give you such a scare.”

“No, I’m sorry,” Hinata shook his head, “I should have paid better attention. Did you come to surprise Tooru? He mentioned that you were traveling.” As the words left his mouth, he immediately felt that he had spoken too much. He hadn’t properly introduced himself, and in neglecting to do so, had no idea what he should refer to Tooru’s boyfriend as. His face must have been noticeable, as the man leaned forward onto his knees.

“You could say that,” he laughed airily, “though, I was more hoping I’d get to meet this young star that has got my Tooru all doe-eyed.” Hinata’s cheeks flushed just enough to bring the man to a raucous laughter. “Did he mention me much more beyond my being gone?”

“Yes, he showed me the picture of you he keeps in his car,” Hinata spoke out quickly, “and he always comments nice words about his ‘Iwa-chan’.” With a hopeful breath, Hinata awaited for the man to order what he should be called. Instead, he simply relaxed into the sofa with a neutral smile.

“Y’know, Tooru normally has the most awful taste. He always brings home these gaudy clothes and bags, which of course he looks gorgeous in, but it’s just not my style. I’d rather not stand out too much. However,” he pointed his finger over the top pillow beside him, “I have to say that he was spot on about you.” Hinata shifted in his seat; what was he supposed to say to that? “Say, did Tooru tell you my name?”

“Yes: Hajime-san,” Hinata watched his face as he spoke, however the man’s face was perfectly calm. He nodded appreciatively before waving for Hinata to step closer. His legs felt like lead, however as Hajime continued to look into his eyes, he felt compelled to obey. He landed a foot away on the sofa, which seemed close enough for Hajime, as he took his rough hands and let them squish at his cheeks. Hinata’s lips pushed outward with a quiet pop, eliciting a bright laugh from the man again.

“Ha! I totally get it,” Hajime leaned backwards again, allowing Hinata room to breathe, “you’re how old?”

“T-twenty-one.”

“Shit, he is cradle-robbing.” Hajime rolled his eyes as he undid the buttons at his wrist. Hinata stared in awe at the man, who could pass for a top level executive—perhaps he actually was—and yet he was naturally as silly as Tooru, though more deceiving. “Well, did you enjoy your stay in Sendai? If you ever find yourself up here, let me know; you can always stay here if you’d like.”

“Thank you, Hajime-san,” Hinata bowed his head, “and yes, I’ve had an amazing time! It’s been a very nice break from school and everything.”  
  


“Then I guess the money I spent on this apartment was well placed!” Hajime stood abruptly and looked over Hinata once more. His eyes lingered just below Hinata’s chin for a moment before he sighed and walked towards the doors. “Let Tooru know I stopped by.”

“Oh, you’re not staying?” Hinata cocked his head as Hajime stopped near the doors.

“Nah, just passing on through to home. Oh, and please tell Tooru not to mark up your neck so much; he can get carried away. Goodnight, Hinata.” Hinata stood in shocked silence as Hajime stepped out the doors and let them shut quietly behind him. He must have stood there for several minutes, as by the time he turned to go back to bed, the lightest sheen of sunlight could be seen outside. Tooru was still sound asleep in bed, though as Hinata crawled in next to him, his body felt too cold to keep still. The jostling must have roused Tooru, as he leaned over with a soft yawn and laid his arm over his waist.

“What time is it?” he murmured. Hinata looked to the bright clock on the bedside before confirming that it was almost six o’clock. “Ah, okay. The plane is scheduled for noon, so go back to sleep.” Tooru’s breathing quickly dipped back to his sleeping timbre. As he worked to settle his mind, Hinata’s eyes scanned over the dark room in vain, trying to calm his eyes to shut. Though it was still very dark, he noticed that all but one of Tooru’s white suitcases remained on the floor by the closet, the rest having seemingly vanished. Hinata’s mind raced until the gentle warmth that came from Tooru’s arm worked like a weighted blanket, securing him back to sleep.


	8. I Just Can't Leave These Things Behind

As Hinata trudged up his apartment stairs, his head and gut were churning like the sea. Once he came to their door he reached into his pocket for his keys, however the sound of footsteps behind the door brought him immediate peace.

“Hinata!” Yamaguchi smiled as he swung the door wide open, “Welcome back. How was your trip?”

“I don’t even know where to start,” Hinata groaned as he dragged his duffel bags—one he brought and another that held everything Tooru had bought him—into the small apartment. While it was certainly far less spacious and elegant than the one he’d been graced with in Sendai, the comforts of home quickly dampened his nerves.

“Where did you end up going?” Yamaguchi asked as he flipped into a small—and arguably contaminated—armchair.

“Sendai.” Hinata looked up from his own perch on the sofa to see Yamaguchi, understandably, surprised. “I mentioned that I’m from Miyagi and used to play volleyball. So, he flew me—”

“You went on a plane?”

“On a _private jet_ ,” Hinata’s eyes stretched open as he spoke, almost as if he himself didn’t believe his words, “to his _penthouse apartment_ , then to a freaking professional volleyball game! Plus, he bought me all sorts of stuff, it’s in that bag over there. Yamaguchi,” Hinata leaned over his knees as he gripped his hair, “I did not realize he was _that_ rich.”

“Talk about a jackpot,” Yamaguchi said incredulously, “but how was it? Spending the weekend with him?” The short moment that it took Hinata to answer gave Yamaguchi everything he needed. “Oh my god, did you sleep with him?”

“Ah!” Hinata shook his hands panickily, “no, it’s not like that!”

“Congrats, Hinata,” Yamaguchi cooed with a smug smile, “you’d make our old captains proud.”

“Ugh,” Hinata flipped his legs over the back of the couch, “I can’t even explain it. He is… unlike any person I’ve ever met. He—you wanna know what he did?” Yamaguchi nodded politely as Hinata fidgeted endlessly. “We were eating dinner, and then all of a sudden, he confesses to me, and then he kissed me!”

“What a romantic.”

“But! Then, he just turned back to finish the show we were watching! Like, am I going crazy? Is that a normal thing couples do?” Before the words had entirely left his mouth he froze in place. His eyes were focused on the ceiling, however if he did look at Yamaguchi, he would see the smugness in his smile multiplying.

“Looks like you’ve got yourself some fun times ahead, Hinata,” Yamaguchi stood and patted on his leg before he reached for his backpack, “well, I’ll cook tonight, so I’m going to the store. Need anything?”

“A brain.”

“Noted. Later!” With a slight bang the door slammed shut, leaving Hinata alone with his racing mind. Instead of unpacking his bags or showering or sleeping, he stripped into shorts and a hoodie, grabbed his keys, and bolted out the front door. With every step away from the apartment building, he could feel his mind slowly calming, however he forced his legs to keep running.

That morning, Tooru had showered him with kisses before whisking them away to the airport, though not before a quick stop to buy Hinata another bag. Tooru had huffed and groaned over Hajime stopping to visit without waking him, however he did not bring him up after that. Instead, Tooru expressed how overjoyed he was that Hinata had come with him, and implored him to think about anywhere he’d like to go next. The flight was as quick as the previous one, and before he knew it, Hinata was dropped at his apartment building with a kiss and a promise to text him later. Now that he was home again, released from the bubble that was Tooru, he suddenly felt as though he could not breathe. As he tore across his quiet neighborhood, his eyes watered at the air that bit against his face.

Whatever confidence he had amassed seemed gone now; maybe it was easier to convince oneself something while entrapped in a beautiful apartment? Hinata wasn’t sure if he felt entitled to cry, though the feeling did not feel far away. When his chest’s heaves grew to strong he finally careened to a stop near a small restaurant. The moment the smell of something delicious wafted to him he felt starved, however he’d left his wallet back in his jeans pocket. Plus, Yamaguchi’s cooking would likely be much better. He spotted a water spigot and helped himself, dunking his head beneath the frigid water and washing away his sweat and any saplings of tears. When he heard footsteps he assumed it was the business owner, and had already prepared to apologize as he stood, though the angle at which his neck craned up was unexpected.

“Are you okay?” The man asked with an eerily familiar voice, and before Hinata could properly rub the water out of his eyes, his memory came rushing back.

“What, not in the mood to kick me this time?” Hinata hadn’t mean to sound so aggressive, however the man’s face did not falter. He had not particularly wished to get a closer look at him before, however now he allowed himself to stare at his unfortunate neighbor. The man was massive, and surprisingly well built. His black hair was plainly and neatly cut, however his dark blue eyes were as pointed and antagonizing as a tiger’s. He was prepared to lodge another retort when his eyes focused on the man’s jacket; the bright, block letters that ran across his chest displayed a foreign word Hinata would not have known had he not just seen their team in person. “Wait. Are you…?”

“Yeah,” the man shifted nervously, “uh, I wanted to say sorry. For, y’know… kicking you, the other day.” Hinata wanted to laugh at the man’s awful apology, however it appeared he was not finished. “I, uh… I saw you. In Sendai.”

“You did?” Hinata asked genuinely, “I’m surprised you recognized me.” The man’s face dropped into a lazy glare as he nodded at Hinata’s head. “Oh… yeah I guess that’s pretty recognizable.”

“Look,” the man’s hands fidgeted behind his back, “I wanted to apologize. I… get agitated before a game, but I shouldn’t have kicked you.” Hinata watched his face for a moment before relenting with a quiet sigh.

“Well, it’s alright,” Hinata shrugged, “if it’s any consolation, I was also pretty anxious, so I suppose it’s fine.”

“Why were you anxious?” The man asked, seemingly without a care that his question was rather personal.

“I was going out of town,” Hinata said flatly, “a friend was surprising me by taking me to a volleyball game.”

“Ah, that was the tall guy who stared daggers at me, then.” The man chuckled through Hinata’s obvious confusion before clearing his throat. “Well, since we’re neighbors, I thought I should actually introduce myself. Kageyama Tobio,” he stretched out his hand, and just as Hinata took it, he was shocked to see just how long his fingers were.

“Hinata Shouyou,” they shook for a short second before quickly releasing one another, “well, I uh, gotta get back home.” Kageyama raised an eyebrow until Hinata took his hint. “Oh, we live in the same building. Right.” Kageyama chuckled quietly as they began to walk back towards their building. The silence, while initially ingratiatingly uncomfortable, managed to grow into a softer bubble as they walked down the road. It took a few blocks to realize just how far he’d ran, however as they reached the halfway point, Kageyama suddenly popped that bubble to explain why he’d been so agitated when they first met.

In the few short blocks that they walked, Hinata realized that Kageyama truthfully was nowhere near as intimidating as he’d assumed. He was soft-spoken and borderline awkward, and while Hinata refused to acknowledge it, the telltale Miyagi accent he spoke with was rather comforting. Kageyama explained that he’d been playing volleyball professionally since he graduated from high school, though he had just moved to a team based in Tokyo; while he’d played on many teams—including Japan’s Olympic national team—he found this newest assignment the most frustrating.

“I played in Italy for a recreational season,” he explained in his flat tone, “and I realized how different life is outside of Japan. Now that I’m home, I feel somewhat…”

“Bored?” Hinata offered.

“I guess,” Kageyama grunted, “but… I just don’t know how I could justify traveling during the season.”

“Well, I can feel your pain there,” Hinata sighed, “the trip to Sendai to see your game was the first time I’d left Tokyo since I moved here after high school. Though, college students don’t normally travel, but still. This city is amazingly huge—”

“All while feeling too tight.” Kageyama finished his sentence just as they came to the bus stop outside their apartment. Hinata peeked at the man from under his bangs to see that he was looking straight forward, almost like his neck was frozen in place. He was so well built, and yet he moved fluidly, as though no motions in his steps were unnecessary. The final steps to the stairs were once again quiet, though when Hinata stalled on the third floor, Kageyama finally huffed out a breath in a raggedy, obviously anxious timbre. “Well, I’m glad I got to see you again… y’know, so I could apologize.”

“Well, now that I know my neighbor’s a professional athlete, can I expect some free tickets?” Hinata joked with an awkward wave. The following silence immediately made his stomach cringe inward; obviously, Kageyama was not one for jokes. However, the man cocked his head with a flat smile and nodded his head.

“If you want them, they’re yours.”

“O-oh,” Hinata nodded in response, unsure of what he should say. Kageyama’s blue eyes were unsettlingly unreadable and nearly as dark as his hair, leaving his affect uncomfortably vague. However, he turned to continue onward up the steps with a farewell tossed over his shoulder, seemingly unaware of the state he’d left his poor neighbor in. Once he turned the corner Hinata ducked back to his door, his hands shaking as he unlocked the flimsy handle. Thankfully, Yamaguchi was not home yet, so Hinata fled to the bathroom. As the coldest shower he’d ever taken made him want to yelp, it worked to cool his overworked mind. How unlucky could he be? The first moment of solitude after his whirlwind weekend brought him straight to the man who had nearly knocked him down a half flight of stairs. As he aggressively shampooed his hair, Hinata forced himself to recall his next week’s duties.

He had been absentmindedly floating through lectures the past week, however he knew that if he did not buckle himself down, he would easily slip away through the semester. He resolved to leave his phone turned off and at the bottom of his backpack for the entire day in class, though if he could, he would leave the cursed item at home. The homework he had rushed through the week before was likely going to be returned with several corrections, so he steeled himself to sitting alone at the library until closing time to resolve the lost points. For a moment, the revelation that he was in-fact a college student—worse, a soon to be graduate—was enough to bring his chin up with pride. _I’ve made it this far,_ he thought as he stepped out of the icy bathroom, _I will make it to the end_.

Once he’d donned appropriate home attire, he settled onto the couch to begin the week’s readings. Yamaguchi returned within that hour with a hefty load of groceries—if Hinata knew he’d buy so much he would have come to help carry them—and assigned himself to the kitchen to prepare Hinata’s welcome-home feast. The savory smell of garlic and sesame oil wafted over to the sofa, and while Hinata managed to keep his mind focused, he’d be lying if his stomach’s growls were distracting. Yamaguchi always made such easy work of dinner; whenever Hinata dared to cook more than simple fish and rice, the process took six hours, countless dirty bowls, and disappointing heartache. However, before he’d finished the first chapter of his readings, Yamaguchi ordered him to come and prepare a plate.

“You’re my hero,” Hinata cooed as he piled his plate with rice, grilled flank steak, and steamed vegetables, “though the cauliflower makes you look more like my mom.”

“It was on sale,” Yamaguchi shrugged, “and Yachi-san said that cauliflower is high in sulforaphane, so blame her.”

“Is that still going on?” Hinata asked with a raised brow. Yamaguchi simply pushed against his shoulder, shoving his laughing roommate towards their pitifully tiny kitchen table. “Well, I love Yachi-san. She’s so cute, and she’s smart, though if she’s going to insist on us eating cauliflower all the time I will have to have a sit-down with her.” Hinata declared as he flopped into his chair. Yamaguchi fielded his question with an obviously deflecting laugh which Hinata elected not to push on. It’d be pretty hypocritical to insist they speak on Yamaguchi’s current fling while refusing to divulge more of his own.

After dinner, Hinata made quick work of the dishes before retiring to his room. Yamaguchi called out before nine o’clock that he had to work overnight—prompting Hinata to yell that, had he known, he would have cooked dinner—and before nine thirty Hinata was once again alone. The silence was welcome, as he played his music aloud and settled onto his bed to read. His studying practices were not admirable—or even passable—however the sudden urge to be a good student was the only thing prompting him to not think. Tooru had said that he would text him later, however for every minute that passed in silence, Hinata relaxed a bit more.

Tooru was amazing, however, Hinata simply couldn’t fight the truth; Tooru was a rich socialite, and no matter how charitable he felt regarding Hinata, they were simply in different worlds. Add in a rich boyfriend who chartered jets and appeared randomly across the country and Hinata could barely believe that his past week had been reality. The watch sitting perfectly on his desk was the only physical reminder—ignoring the new bag of clothes on his bed—that Tooru was even a real person at all. When he discovered that his mind had floated to Tooru instead of the last paragraph of his text he resigned himself to bed with a disappointed sigh. He set his alarm and pulled a movie up onto his laptop to lull him, thankfully falling into an uneven sleep just before midnight.

When his alarm roused him awake at seven, Hinata bolted out of bed and rushed through making a distractingly delicious breakfast of eggs and leftover beef. He packed his backpack as neatly as he could manage, with his laptop perfectly bundled between his books and an energy drink. He dressed himself in his nicest (pre-Tooru) shirt and even attempted to comb his hair into order, though to no success. He was out of the door at seven thirty on the dot, passing a sleepy Yamaguchi as he descended the stairs; normally Yamaguchi coming home was what awoke him, so his pride swelled even more while he caught the earlier bus headed to his campus. The path to his lecture hall had never been shorter, and as he took his usual seat, his chest fluttered with warmth over his own reliance. In the last few moments prior to class he checked his email, however just as he was about to power off his phone, a notification sent his phone buzzing out of his hand. His neighbors looked over in irritation, though Hinata knew it was simply due to Monday tiredness. Against his better judgement, he opened his messenger to see an unknown number, immediately assuming that it was just spam. However, once the message opened, Hinata’s stomach fell through his seat.

UNKNOWN SENDER: HELLO HINATA. THIS IS HAJIME. I’D LIKE TO HAVE YOU OVER FOR DINNER TONIGHT. I’LL HAVE A CAR PICK YOU UP BY YOUR LAST CLASS’S BUILDING. SEE YOU LATER.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for being patient! My mind has been overflowing with new ideas for this story, so much that I've resigned to separating them out into different stories in the same universe. I hope you all enjoy and stay with me through this journey!


	9. Bad Boys Are Not So Picky

If he had more friends, he would have been working his thumbs against his phone incessantly, if only to distract him from the perplexity of his situation; the few short texts to Yamaguchi had done nothing but reinforce his roommate’s assumption that he was an escort in the making. He contemplated skipping out on his last class, however he knew that ditching would only make him feel worse; at least this way, his anxiety was combined with a sense of good scholarship. Tooru had been radio silent for the entire day, and as daunting as the thought of his elusive friend’s potential texts were, the quiet was uncharacteristic.

Just as the curt text had demanded, Hinata stepped out of his afternoon ethics class to see a bulky black SUV parked directly at the curb; it was the type of car that politicians or royalty always drove in. Of course, everyone around peered at the luxury vehicle, awaiting the appearance of whatever socialite stepped out. However, as Hinata slowly stepped towards the curb, a man dressed in a plain white shirt and tie emerged from the passenger door to open the rear for him. Hinata tired his best to hide the visible blush on his face as he scurried past the few bystanders. He slipped into the massive back seat of the car to find it completely unoccupied, which was relieving enough to allow him to breathe. He let his backpack slump onto the floor of the small limousine just as the front door shut. It took no longer than the engine’s ignition timer for him to realize that he’d literally just gotten into a stranger’s car. His sister would be furious with him. He groped at the luxuriously soft leather seats, and as the car sped away from the campus Hinata remarked that the windows were tinted so dark that he could barely see outside.

About an hour into the ride, Hinata finally began to calm himself. The bustling streets of downtown Tokyo yielded to a more lush countryside as they entered Yamanashi Prefecture, and once it seemed that they had traveled far enough, a glass divider suddenly fell between Hinata and the driver; he hadn’t realized the glass was there. The man in the passenger seat turned with a crooked smile and warm eyes before swinging himself through and into the backseat. The driver of the car cursed in an attempt to hit the man, however with a quick push of a button, the glass slid right back up to create a hushed silence. The tension seemed tactile in the back seat as the man looked Hinata up and down, clearly sizing him up with dark eyes. After a long minute, he relaxed casually into the seats.

“Tooru-san has such interesting tastes.” The man’s voice was deep and almost hoarse, however as he spoke, it sounded like he was laughing along to his own joke. Suddenly, he leaned forward with a smirk, “Matsukawa Issei.” Hinata fumbled and took his hand as well, and the man reclined back to continue staring at him.

“H-Hinata Shouyou—”

“Oh I know,” Matsukawa laughed aloud this time, “I’ve heard nothing but your name for the past twenty-four hours.” Hinata gulped, however it seemed the man did not notice how hard he was shaking. “When Hajime-san told me that he was having Tooru’s boyfriend over for dinner, you can imagine how confused I was. However,” suddenly the man leaned forward as close as he could without rising from the seat, “I can see why he’d want to.” Hinata’s brow started to feel hot under the intense pressure; Matsukawa wore an easy smile that only grew more jovial, and yet his words fell into him like stones. “Hey, lighten up. I’m nothing to be scared of.”

“Don’t let him be a dick!” A voice suddenly cut over through the car’s stereo, sending Hinata flying up at the intrusion. Matsukawa laughed aloud as he banged his hand against the glass; the driver, a man with much lighter colored hair, pressed his middle finger against it in protest.

“That’s my own personal asshole,” Matsukawa waxed poetically, “so don’t mind him.” Hinata remained silent as they turned off into a more secluded section of highway. He knew that they were somewhere in the mountains to the west of Tokyo, however he hardly knew that area well. When the lights began to become more sparse, Matsukawa spoke again. “Tooru-san told you what business Hajime works in, right?” His dark eyes zeroed in on Hinata with such an intensity that he was relieved that he couldn’t lie; those eyes could likely pick up anything.

“Not really, no,” Hinata cleared his throat, “though I know he travels a lot.” Matsukawa simply nodded as the car finally rumbled up to a large gate. The driver hadn’t even opened the window before the large gates began to slide away, revealing a neatly paved driveway, however the house could not be seen yet.

“I can’t say much more than this,” Matsukawa spoke softly as the car finally crested a short hill, revealing a massive mansion nestled into the hillside, “but no matter what you see or hear tonight, don’t speak a word of it. Understand?” The man’s face still bore a smile, however Hinata knew that he was not joking. He nodded silently just as the car finally lurched to a stop. Matsukawa gave Hinata one last wink before he slipped out the door, leaving Hinata to scramble out behind him. The house was immaculate, somehow resembling traditional and modern architecture simultaneously. The surroundings hills acted like a cradle for the property, and while they stepped into the driveway, Hinata wondered if the house could even be seen from the road. As he shouldered his bag, Hinata followed behind Matsukawa to the circular driveway’s center. The driver finally revealed his face, and Hinata found that while he was not smiling, he looked far friendlier that Matsukawa; he extended his hand, and the driver’s mouth perked into a slight smirk as he took it.

“Hanamaki Takahiro,” he nodded his head, causing his pale brown hair to swish in the wind, “though I don’t know why I am the one walking you to the door of _my_ house.”

“Oh shut it,” Matsukawa scoffed as he laid his hand on Hinata’s shoulder, leading them towards the entrance’s steps, “no one wants to hear it, Your Highness!”

“Ooh, I’m telling mom.” Hanamaki’s face was so deadpan as he spoke that Hinata could not stifle the laugh that bubbled out. Hanamaki clicked triumphantly behind him, however Matsukawa seemed to be beyond the joke already. Though he quickly recovered and worked to hide his flustered face, Hinata cursed himself for not being more alert. He was walking into a stranger’s house, after being driven by a stranger’s car, into a strange city; his lack of self-preservation was going to be the death of him… though he quickly withdrew that thought.

As they entered the large house, Hinata allowed himself to closely analyze his surroundings. The inside of the house was interesting, yet beautiful. The foyer was large with two staircases leading in different directions, however Matsukawa continued to bring him through the main level. Highly polished wooden floors were adorned intermittently with elaborate rugs, and pictures on the walls were a mix of landscape portraits and friendly snapshots of Hanamaki, Matsukawa, and Tooru; he noted that Hajime was not seen in any of them. After what felt like a quarter mile of hallway, they finally reached the genkan where several cubbies stood to accept their shoes. Thankfully, Hinata had worn plain white socks instead of his usual tie-dye ones. The last obstacle was a set of large, ornate doors; it felt like they were preparing in a safe zone for a boss battle. Matsukawa wasted no time in knocking heavily against the door, and while Hinata heard nothing, Matsukawa nodded and threw the doors open.

The dining room was clearly meant for business purposes, as there were several small tables surrounding a larger grand spread, and the glowering fire in the corner definitely gave the room a rich, European castle type of aesthetic. The floors were nearly reflective as he padded after Matsukawa, who was quickly approaching a smaller alcove near the fireplace. There in a comfortable looking chair sat Hajime, heavily invested in a large newspaper in his hands. As they came closer, Hinata realized that the newspaper was written in latin letters.

“Hinata,” Hajime smiled as he set the newspaper down, turning to find the boy’s face, “thank you for coming on such short notice.”

“Thank you for having me.” Hinata tried his best to steady his voice as he followed Hajime’s gesture to sit. Without another word, Matsukawa had already slipped away, shutting the door behind him as he went; Hinata hadn’t even realized that Hanamaki had left them.

“You’re probably wondering why on earth I called you here,” Hajime brought up his arms to roll his button-up’s sleeves to his elbows, “but I honestly just wanted to talk to you without Tooru interrupting.”

“Tooru isn’t here?” Hinata’s question came out rapidly, earning himself a hearty laugh from his host.

“No, but he’ll be here later tonight,” Hajime chuckled, “and no, he doesn’t know you’re here. Unless you told him?” Hajime’s question had sounded affable, however the dark glow over his face made Hinata’s knees quiver.

“Ah, no, I haven’t talked to him all day, actually,” the words had already left him before he realized it, “huh, I actually didn’t hear from him yesterday either.”

“That’s Tooru for you,” Hajime sighed, “he’s as flaky as a cracker. However, this time he actually has a decent excuse; he got called in for some photoshoot late last night, so he left at about four o’clock this morning.” Hinata wasn’t sure what to say, and so he deigned with a simple nod. “I know you’re probably on Tooru overload from this weekend, but I really just wanted to talk to you.”

“I appreciate your having me,” Hinata tried his best to speak boldly, “and as… unused to Tooru’s…”

“Insanity?”

“…eccentricities, as I am,” Hinata perked a small smile, “I understand why you love him so much. He is truthfully unlike anyone I’ve ever met.”

“The feeling is very mutual.” Hajime almost seemed to be swaying to some unheard song before he quickly brought his hands together, breaking the spell. “So, let’s cut right to the thick of it. You’re a business major, correct? Tell me, Hinata: based off of what you know, what type of work do you think I do?” The suddenness of the question failed to trip Hinata as badly as he’d likely intended, and the shorter man retorted quickly.

“Well when we first met, I assumed you were something like an executive,” Hinata nodded thoughtfully, “however, my new guess is that you work in the entertainment industry, like an agent?” Hajime nodded appreciatively at Hinata’s guesses, though he rolled his fingers, indicating that he wanted elaboration. “Well, you’re very well dressed, but not so flashy as Tooru always is. Also, I knew that you’re—” Hinata suddenly cut himself short as he quickly changed gears, “Tooru called you his ‘sugar daddy’, so I know you must be in some lucrative business. Am I getting close?” Hajime laughed freely at this, and he nodded in agreement with his statement.

“Hmm,” Hajime rubbed his chin with his thick fingers, “you’re on the right track. I _definitely_ work in a lucrative field.”

“Perhaps manufacturing?” Hinata’s gut began to churn with a type of excitement he had felt briefly before; despite the boring droll of his degree, his novice knowledge of the business world would aid him yet. “Plus you travel a lot, so that makes me think you work for an international company?”

“Err,” Hajime shook his head, “dead end. Though my business is international, there is no company.” Hinata pondered for a long moment before he shook his head in defeat.

“I have no guesses left,” he surrendered, “though if it’s something obvious, I’m going to cry.”

“We wouldn’t want that,” Hajime’s eyes slid over Hinata’s face for a long second before he stood up from his chair, “walk with me.” His legs propelled him to stand almost immediately, and while he was happy to be moving out of the man’s field of view, the severity of his words cast a haze through the room. They padded across the glossy room in an uncertain hurry, and when a dulled thudding followed them, Hinata looked down to find that Hajime wore house slippers.

“This house is our base of operations, and despite it being held by the Hanamaki Family, I bought it for Tooru and I. We used to live downtown, but there are just too many nosy eyes in that city.” Hinata remained silent as they crossed the dining room towards the farthest door. Hajime led the way down another, more manageable hallway before coming to a stop near the end. While he knew how many turns he’d made, the feeling of getting lost in the labyrinthine house seemed plausible. He pulled a key from his pocket, however Hinata found no keyhole on the door. To his surprise, Hajime used the key to push a small portion of the wall’s plaster aside, revealing a small lock. A small panel revealed itself on the door’s face, and after simply staring at it, the dark wooden doors finally clicked open.

Hinata’s awe came out as a quiet gasp, however as they entered the room, his heart swelled. It was the most beautiful room Hinata had ever seen in his entire life. Pale gray walls encapsulated a sunken seating area, surrounded with plush pillows and silk blankets. The sun was just beginning to disappear behind the mountains, and the view through the windows was more immaculate than what he’d seen outside. The windows themselves stretched entirely to the ceiling, and the walls were hung with lush green houseplants and flowered trellises. In the corner of the room was a small tea table, complete with a steaming electric kettle. If he did not know otherwise, Hinata would have thought that he’d fallen into a picture book.

“This room never fails to impress a guest,” Hajime sighed coyly as he passed over to the tea table, retrieving two ornately decorated cups before retiring into the sitting area, “and I do think this makes for a more intimate first dinner, don’t you agree?”

“It’s absolutely beautiful,” Hinata spoke softly as he sunk into the silken blankets; he wished he was only wearing shorts so he could feel the cool fabric more. Hajime passed him a cup and gave cheers before sipping at the fragrant tea.

“Hinata.” Hajime’s voice cut through his bliss just enough to grab his attention, but not enough to alarm him. “What I am about to tell you can never be uttered to anyone outside of these walls. Do you understand?” The ghost of Matsukawa’s voice whispered at Hinata’s ears, and as Hajime awaited his answer, he felt his senses urging him to say no. However, he nodded obediently for the man to continue. “My business is complex, and yet very simple. Most people would never even notice the traces that are left, however I sense that you’re more intuitive than you seem.” _There’s the alarm_ , Hinata gulped to himself. 

“I’ll be brief. I coordinate shipments and warehouses in a few countries, though mostly in Korea, Argentina, and France. A random selection of countries, I know. However, the network that I manage is used in nearly every nation on this earth for some reason or other.”

“That’s far more impressive than a talent agent.” Hinata swallowed, earning him a genuine laugh.

“These delivery networks work outside the jurisdictions of several trade agreements, and while countries may enforce embargos and sanctions, this network does not cooperate with foreign interference. To put it simply, I ensure that any and all shipments are able to be sent any and everywhere in the world, regardless of politics.”

“That’s amazing,” Hinata spoke a bit louder, “I have never heard of anything like this before! Did you go to school for business?” The room skipped a beat before Hajime fully doubled over with laughter, enough to make him set his teacup down. Hinata deflated a bit by his reaction—he thought that he was on the right track—however Hajime shook his hands to dispel his worries.

“No, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh,” Hajime worked to control himself, “but that legitimately caught me off guard. That sounded like a proper interview response; are you nearing graduation?”

“I am, but I don’t even know what I’ll use the degree for,” Hinata shrugged in an effort to move past himself.

“Well, I did not go to school. Or, I didn’t finish school. However, you’re likely incorrect to say that you’ve never heard of my line of work before.” Hinata cocked his head, however Hajime continued on. “In fact, I know that you have heard of my field. It was all over the news a few years ago.” Hinata sat quietly as he tried to recall any major business ventures, however nothing came to mind. Thankfully, Hajime seemed to be through with leading him on, and retook his teacup with a slow breath. “My associates and I refer to our network as ‘Seijoh’, though when I inherited it, it was called ‘Aoba Johsai’.” That last name rang a distant bell in Hinata’s head, however he had no time to mull it over before Hajime leaned in closely, the steam from his teacup wafting to Hinata’s cheeks.

“I can see the gears turning in there. I take it you understand?” Hinata shook his head as he shuddered, though the man did not laugh while he smiled. “In Italy, they would call themselves by their family name. I think many Western organizations do the same.”

Suddenly, Hinata felt sick. Hajime sat back from his just in time for Hinata’s nerves to work their magic. The room felt entirely too small now, and the recessed seating area made him feel more trapped. His stomach lurched at a forgotten thought, and if he could see his own face, he knew that he likely looked a few seconds from vomiting. His intuition had been right all along; he should not have gotten in the car, he should have ignored the text, he shouldn’t have gone to Sendai with Tooru—

“Hinata.” Hajime’s voice snapped him out of his panic for just long enough to see the man’s face had softened. “I didn’t mean to actually scare you; I didn’t bring you here to hurt you.”

“So that means…” Hinata wished he could stop speaking and simply walk out the door, however every inch of his body felt nailed into the cushions, “your business… it’s like a smuggling ring?”

“Harsh way to put it, but basically, yeah,” Hajime nodded, “criminal enterprises typically don’t prefer labels, however if you had to give it one, then the proper term would be—”

“A mafia.” A voice behind them caused both men to jump, however Hinata leapt up high enough to spill his now lukewarm tea all over himself. Another new voice burst into a chorus of laughter, joined eventually by Hajime’s gentle chuckles.

“Fuck off, you ruined it,” Hajime spat over his shoulder, “get a towel.”

“ _I am so sorry…_ ” Hinata nearly cried as he held the empty teacup. One of the new voices popped into his view, revealing a massively tall man with jet black hair and cat-like eyes.

“We came to rescue you as soon as Mattsun said the Boss brought you over here,” the man’s smile was so wide it looked like it was permanent, “and it looks like we came right in time to kill the buzz!” Hajime lobbed a heavy punch at the man’s arm, and while he certainly did not flinch, Hinata could tell that the man’s eyes winced at the contact. An outstretched hand appeared beside Hinata, revealing the final intruder and source of said buzzkill. The man was easily the tallest in the room, however his expression was certainly the most cross. Judging eyes sat behind thin glasses, and while Hinata could tell that they were likely around the same age, the air of maturity around the blonde man rivaled Hajime’s.

“I ought to have you both banned from dinner for ruining my fun,” Hajime half-joked, “however I suppose its better to not make the new kid think we’re gonna kill him.”

“Does he know that yet?” The blonde spoke more quickly than Hinata could think. He avoided eye contact with him, despite wishing to see if his face betrayed his sincerity. Hajime groaned as the two seated themselves on the opposite side of the seating area.

“The blonde asshole is Tsukishima, and the dumb asshole is Kuroo.” Hajime waved over to his colleagues.

“I take offense!” Kuroo—the not blonde one—cried out pitifully, however the other two men looked on in disgust.

“Where is Bokuto-san?” The blonde one, Tsukishima, asked as he ignored his partner. Hajime looked to his watch before reclining back into the sofa.

“He should be here soon. Akaashi is already here.”

“Uhm,” Hinata finally interjected, earning him a chorus of stares. The intensity of the large men’s gazes was physically draining, however with a huff, he persevered. “Hajime-san… I have a question, actually.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“…when Tooru and I were in Sendai, I noticed that he took like… five suitcases. But when we came home, he only had one.”

“I knew you had sharp eyes,” Hajime replied coolly as he looked to his colleagues, “I was right to bring you in then. To answer your question simply, yes. Those bags were a shipment to an acquaintance way up in Hokkaido, but he had guys in Miyagi, so it worked out perfectly.”

“What were in them?” This time, the stares he received were not as soft. Kuroo looked on with a dark curiosity, Hajime rubbed at his neck, and Tsukishima simply glared at the small man. The silence was entirely worse than a simple response; Hinata began to feel his guts twisting again.

“Don’t panic,” Hajime raised his hand, “it wasn’t anything… illegal. It was some information that I was paid to deliver to him; computers, hard drives, and even old CD-ROMs.”

“If it wasn’t illegal, why not just ship it through the post?” Hinata asked slowly, and while Tsukishima’s glare grew stronger, Hajime’s face turned up into a quirked smile.

“For many reasons, though the most important one is simply that no one can move shipments as fast as I can. I had thrown those suitcases in Tooru’s car maybe… fifteen minutes before he left?” He turned and looked to Kuroo for validation, and Hinata turned to see the man flicking at his phone with a bored expression. “It saved him a trip to Hokkaido, so I won’t complain!” Hinata thumbed at his shirt’s hem as the room settled into an uncomfortable silence. Thankfully, a light knock on the door preceded a trio of older men scurrying in to set the sunken table.

“Normally we don’t eat this fancy, but Hajime-san wants to show off.” Tsukishima’s voice was so blatantly argumentative that Hinata was sure someone would fight him. However, the other men simply shuffled into proper positions as plates and silverware were produced. Just as quickly as they had appeared they slipped back through the door, leaving a fourth man standing by a large cart.

“Akaashi!” Kuroo crooned from his seat, “come sit next to me before Bokuto gets here!” Hinata looked over to the lone man and was instantly floored; he was gorgeous. Hinata’s mouth had to have been hanging like an idiot, because as Akaashi motioned for assistance, the corners of his lips curled into a smile. He tiptoed towards the sunken area to pass plates to Tsukishima who in turn placed them on the table. The intoxicating smells of home cooking were suddenly overpowering, watering Hinata’s starved mouth with every new addition. The man named Akaashi had just leaned over to introduce himself to Hinata when the door flew open with a slam, allowing the loudest addition to enter. The din of the room grew to such a level that even Hajime looked irritated. Kuroo and the newest man—likely the Bokuto they’d referenced earlier—began to jeer at one another as Akaashi slipped in next to Tsukishima. The chaos of the room felt transformative, however as bottles of wine were popped open, Hajime simply leaned down to whisper closer to Hinata’s ear.

“Don’t get too drunk. I still have something to discuss with you.” Hinata would have to try his best to work his way through dinner without throwing up or passing out.


	10. Tonight It's: Ready, Set, Go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, this chapter will be very explicit (near the end), so if you're uncomfortable with that, please be advised!

Just after six o’clock, Tooru made his way through the parking lot as he groggily sipped at his coffee. What was supposed to be a small affair had turned into a massive undertaking—requiring two different studios and three photographers—though his calendar was now sufficiently stocked as a result. The photoshoot had concluded just after noon, however before he could leave, the set manager offered a spot in a stylist’s editorial due the next month. Thankfully that shoot was just down the street, however by the time he’d had his hair, makeup, and clothes changed well over twenty times, he was prepared to call it a day. As he slipped into his car he fished his phone out of his bag, though he was surprised to see that the only notifications were from his agent. Tooru huffed as he threw his phone onto the passenger seat. It was unlike Hajime to go so long without even checking in, however as he reversed his car out of its parking spot, his irritation ebbed.

He had not been this busy for a while, and as the streetlights passed him overhead, the lunacy of his life tickled at his temples. For the hard, nearly twenty hours’ worth of work he’d just performed, his bank account had already been pinged with a deposit statement. It tickled him to imagine what he would buy with it, though like always, nothing particular came to mind; surely he would be inspired at the mall. His stomach growled as he made his way out of downtown, however every looming advert for fast food restaurants simply couldn’t satisfy his urge. He drove down the familiar stretch of highway before a specific exit caught his eye. Suddenly, he knew exactly what he wanted.

His route to the apartment complex was not well thought out, however he made it there without much detour. There was hardly any parking in this neighborhood, so he’d have to be quick. He shut off his engine and skipped over towards the stairs with a mischievous smirk. Would Hinata be tired of seeing him again so soon? That thought was instantly replaced with another more pressing issue, however; as he marched onto the second floor, it dawned on him that he had no clue which apartment he lived in. To add to his irritation, none of the apartments seemed to have family names displayed—which did make sense considering that most if not all of the tenants were likely university students—and while Tooru didn’t mind knocking on every door, he thought it would be better to not alienate himself to Hinata’s neighbors. With a dejected sigh, he retreated back down the steps to retrieve his phone. Just as he stepped onto the ground level, however, a particularly memorable scowl met him from a few meters away. If the sulky grimace under a mat of black hair was not enough to give him away, the track jacket the man wore certainly did. Just as Tooru took in the man’s appearance the not-so-stranger reacted in kind with a particularly ungraceful frown.

“Oh, it’s Mr. Moody!” Tooru chirped as he brought his hands to his hips, “Why so down? No one to push down the stairs?” The man shuffled in place,

“Ah,” the man nodded through his grimace, undoubtedly recognizing Tooru from the match, “I apologized to Hinata for that.” Tooru’s ears pricked up as the man spoke Hinata’s name, and with a wide step forward, he brought them closer together. From there, Tooru put his piercing gaze to work; the man was just barely his own height, however his physique was understandably more broad. He had a plain face that bore no blemishes, and while his deep blue eyes were pretty by themselves, their unfortunate fixture into his woeful expression did him no justice. With a huff, Tooru released him from his sights.

“Well, I appreciate that,” Tooru hissed with a smile, “though, do take care not to ever touch him again. Okay?” He cocked his head as his voice raised, and while he knew that his attitude was obnoxious, he did not retreat. The man said nothing as he nodded towards the stairs, taking care to not bump into Tooru as he passed. The man made his way up the stairs with a pace that did not falter a bit, and even though he could not see Tooru, the model elected to stick his tongue out in irritation. Of all the people to run into, why would it have to be that asshole? The absence of his phone suddenly felt more urgent, and as he ducked back to his car in search of it, he heard a fast approach of footsteps behind him.

“Excuse me, are you Tooru-san?” Tooru jumped at the voice—nearly dropping his car keys—however he found that it was merely a baby faced man with a backpack slung over his shoulder.

“Yes, that’s me,” Tooru cleared his throat as elegantly as he could, “can I help you?” The man’s relieved sigh mixed with his uneven breathing—had he come running after him? —was unquestionably adorable.

“Oh! I’m Yamaguchi Tadashi, I’m Hinata’s roommate.” While the greeting was perfectly cordial, Tooru felt the urge to give the freckled man a hug. The fates had clearly sensed that his previous encounter had earned him some good karma.

“Yamaguchi-kun, it’s very nice to meet you,” Tooru let his cheeks puff up with a smile, “and you have impeccable timing! I was just stopping by to surprise Hinata to dinner, but I realized I don’t know his apartment number.” Tooru reached into his car to find his phone, however when he turned back, Yamaguchi’s face was marred with pure confusion. “What’s wrong?”

“Well, isn’t Hinata having dinner at your place tonight?” Yamaguchi shouldered his backpack with a huff, “He texted me earlier saying he’d be home late.”

Tooru stared at Yamaguchi’s face for a long second before his mind finally began to process this new information. Had he invited Hinata to dinner and forgot? He had been so preoccupied the night prior—no thanks to Iwa-chan’s interference—however he knew that he had not texted Hinata all day. Tooru’s eyes blinked vacantly as Yamaguchi stirred awkwardly before him, however just as he opened his phone, he realized that he had received a Line notification from Hajime.

IWA-CHAN <3: GOT A SURPRISE FOR YOU TONIGHT.

“Oh my lord…” Tooru sighed as he shoved his phone into his hoodie pocket, “yes, he’s at my house. It seems that _I_ was the one uninformed.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Yamaguchi gulped, “I didn’t kno—”

“Don’t even worry about it,” Tooru waved him off, “if anything, I think I deserve this. Anyways, which floor are you guys on?”

“Oh, we’re on third floor, seventh unit in. We’re the ones with the birdhouse welcome mat.” Yamaguchi’s eyes sparkled as he shared that final detail as though he were personally responsible for it. Tooru thanked him heartily before he jumped back into his car, his stomach now loudly groaning against the roaring ignition. The freckled boy waved goodbye as he headed down the sidewalk, though Tooru did not follow his path as he went. He eyed the clock; it was just before six thirty, so even if he sped as fast as he could, it would be closer to eight o’clock before he got home. He mumbled to himself as he peeled away from the curb and returned to the highway, his eyes barely gracing his speedometer with a passing glance. As tickled as he felt that Hajime was seemingly so open to Hinata, the irritating pang of jealousy kept him from feeling anything more than aggravated.

“You should ask before you borrow someone’s toys, Iwa-chan.” He turned the dial of his radio up as high as it went as he sped towards home.

~

Hinata had not had such delicious food in years, and that was accounting for his recent trip. Akaashi was an amazing cook, and despite his stomach’s protests, he simply couldn’t stop himself from scooping more onto his plate. As the evening went on he felt less and less nervous, though the occasional glare from Tsukishima or sideways glance from Hajime were enough to keep him from relaxing too much. Kuroo and Bokuto were practically unhinged as they shouted at one another, and while Akaashi appeared to be drinking far more—and handling his liquor well—the other two were as pale as sheets. Hinata had just finished laughing at a particularly funny exchange between the two as Hajime refilled his glass with the sparkling pink wine.

“I’ve never seen pink wine,” Hinata remarked as he swirled the glass in thanks, “but it’s damn tasty.”

“This one is actually from California,” Hajime began, though he quickly held a finger to dispel any retort, “and I’ll have you know it only cost me two thousand yen before taxes.”

“Don’t worry, Hinata-san,” Akaashi smiled as he sipped his own glass, “Hajime-san is no fringe spender. He wouldn’t even buy real champagne for Tooru’s birthday party.”

“Sparkling wine tastes exactly the same!” Kuroo loudly interjected.

“Thank you!” Hajime laughed, “I like to live within my means.”

“You’re the only person I know who can have budget beer tastes on a champagne pocketbook.” Kuroo shook his head woefully.

  
“Was Tooru upset that there wasn’t real champagne?” Hinata quipped to Hajime.

“He just went and bought it himself,” Tsukishima interjected with a shrug, “and he made me drive him since he was so thoroughly wasted before the party even started.”

“Thank you, Tsukishima-san,” Hajime nodded his head as the room engulfed into another round of laughter.

“Speaking of which,” Kuroo leaned across the table, his cat-like eyes steadied directly onto Hinata, “it seems that Tooru’s tastes have rubbed onto you as well.” He raised his wrist and tapped a long finger against his own leather watchband. Hinata looked down to see that his own watch reflected the room’s lights intensely, and suddenly it felt like a massive weight had been tied to him.

“Tooru bought that for him before he’d even introduced himself,” Hajime sipped at his glass as he bumped his shoulder against Hinata, “the boy never stood a chance.”

“He said it would make me look better in interviews.” Hinata spoke through the creeping flush on his face. Akaashi leaned over to more closely examine the watch; at this angle Hinata could see just how long and thick the man’s eyelashes were.

“I cannot disagree with Tooru’s sense of fashion,” he resigned as he gave Hinata a soft smile, “if only I could get Bokuto-san to dress more classy.”

“Akaashi!” Bokuto waxed miserably, “Let’s go shopping then!”

“You won’t buy yourself anything, so no.” Akaashi’s mouth could barely retain his flat expression as Bokuto quickly began to list off the sort of clothes he’d buy for Akaashi to wear. Kuroo joined in quickly—the two men both heartily agreed that Tsukishima and Akaashi would look great in leather pants—and the conversation once again devolved into a battle of wills. Hinata giggled to himself as he spooned more food into his mouth; the scenario was not unlike meeting your date’s parents for dinner, though the setting was inherently different. Even as they sat with delicious food in a sunken sitting area while getting elegantly drunk, he could not forget the circumstances that landed him there. He checked his phone one last time to his dismay. He’d expected Tooru to text him at least once, though he knew he was likely still busy.

“Hajime-san, how late does Tooru usually work until?”

“It varies,” Hajime spoke after he finished swallowing his food, “but I suspect he ended up doing extra work. He always picks up random jobs before he can even finish one, so I’m not surprised that he’s not home yet.”

“He’s gonna wish he’d turned them down once he realizes that we’ve been enjoying his boyfriend’s company without him.” Kuroo sniggered as he reclined into Tsukishima’s shoulder.

“You mean his _boyfriends’_ attention,” Bokuto corrected with a toothy grin, “damn, Tooru is one lucky son of a bitch. Hey, Akaash—”

“No.” The rebuttal came out so swiftly that even Tsukishima choked back a laugh at Bokuto’s expense.

“No fair!” Bokuto whined with a smile, “aren’t I just as pretty as Tooru? Though, you’re prettier than everyone so I suppose that’d mean you could get another boyfriend. Yeah, never mind that is fair.” Bokuto accepted pity laughs as the conversation drifted once again to some other topic. The serenity of the room seemed unbreakable, however as the food and wine began to run out, it seemed that their fun time would soon come to an end. Akaashi and Bokuto were the first to leave, and while Hinata wasn’t sure that Bokuto was truly sober enough to drive, Akaashi’s tired eyes were certainly not equipped for the task. Tsukishima and Kuroo announced their departure not long after, and as the tall men left, the quiet of the room settled around Hinata like a vice.

“Thank you for coming tonight,” Hajime finally broke said silence as he leaned into the pillows beside him, “though I do apologize for keeping you out so late on a school night.”

“Ah, I’ll be okay,” Hinata chuckled to hide his embarrassment—it’s not like he was a child with a bedtime—and likewise leaned away into the pillows. “Thank you for dinner. That may be the best food I’ve ever had.”

“Akaashi is my most loyal acquaintance, and he doesn’t even work for me,” Hajime nodded thoughtfully, “just don’t tell Matsukawa that. Well, Tooru should be home any minute.”

“Did he text you?” Hinata’s voice came out a bit too quick, and that did not go unnoticed by Hajime.

“No, but I know where he is.” Hajime yawned while he cracked his knuckles, “If you’d like, you can stay here tonight and I’ll have someone drive you to class in the morning.”

“Oh, I don’t want to be a bother,” Hinata worked to keep his voice even, “and I didn’t bring any clothes.” The long look Hajime sent him was more than enough of a reply; surely Tooru’s abilities could work wonders even in such a short amount of time. “I appreciate that, thank you.” Hajime nodded and stood with a start before he trotted to the windows, now hazy with condensation. At this distance, Hinata could clearly make out more of Hajime’s silhouette. His shoulders were broad when compared to his arguably slender hips, however the thick outlines of his biceps and back muscles could be clearly seen. His hair faded professionally on the back of his head, though he didn’t seem like the type to habit hair salons. As he turned around, Hinata had to actively force himself to stop staring.

“Alright, come with me.” Hajime began for the door as Hinata scrambled to his feet, his heart beginning to race. Why would he be nervous to see Tooru?... other than his being in Tooru’s home without his presence, that is. He followed Hajime out the room—noting that he completely ignored the massive pile of dishes and cups—and while they wound their way back, Hinata tried fruitlessly to make his fuzzy eyes remember the route. Instead of returning to the large hall Hajime led them to a much more modest living room. A large tv was playing a livestream of jellyfish that bathed the whole room in a bluish glow, and despite the quality of the furnishings, it felt remarkably like a typical living room.

“I appreciate your understanding,” Hajime spoke without preamble as he leaned into an upright settee, “and I want to make my feelings perfectly clear.” Hinata gulped nervously while he took a seat opposite the man. “Tooru and I have known each other for more than a long time; neither of us have much family anymore, and so we’ve always stuck together. Before all of… this… we were a perfectly normal couple. But, once I got into the business, I know that Tooru felt upset because he wasn’t producing as much.”

“So Tooru hasn’t been a model for very long then?” Hinata asked, and Hajime gave him with a single nod.

“He had his first gig about three years ago,” Hajime chuckled deeply, “and that was after I bought him a stupid bracelet for his birthday; he got so upset that I’d spent _so_ much money, and he decided that he needed a job. I, of course, didn’t care, but I knew that he didn’t like sitting around at home. Back then, my position was… a bit more labor intensive,” Hajime coughed, “so I couldn’t have him around me much either. That’s when he started looking for something to do. Initially he thought about giving school another try,” Hajime rubbed at the back of his head with a yawn, “but he just couldn’t decide on a path. He thought that everyone would be watching him, waiting for him to make a mistake. I think a part of him still thinks like that…” As Hajime scratched against his short hair, Hinata chewed his lip in thought. Why hadn’t Tooru mentioned this to him before? Though, their conversations were wildly sporadic, it was still difficult to hear such plain facts from a secondary source. It suddenly felt silly to be sitting in Tooru’s house, with Tooru’s life-long partner acting as host, and be introduced to the exposition for the man who was courting him, as though they had never met. His brain felt fatigued with thoughts he had no hope of completing within that night.

“Tooru mentioned that your family lives in Sendai, yet you didn’t want to visit. I won’t pry, and you don’t have to answer, but I suspect that you’ve lost some family as well?” Hajime’s eyes glimmered with a recognition that Hinata knew all too well. It suddenly dawned on him that it had not been their career choices that rendered them orphaned. 

“Yes, though there wasn’t much to lose,” Hinata shrugged with the standard demeanor, “I hope my sister comes around when she’s older, but the rest of them…” Hajime nodded with understanding.

“Then on that front, we are all alike. Though Tooru’s a bit more involved… don’t worry about any of that, though. Believe it or not, but he’s a rather strong guy,” he stretched towards the ceiling with a sigh, “even if he’s still a pompous brat that I’ve spoiled rotten. He’s the greatest man I’ve ever known,” Hajime spoke with a slow smile, “and at the same time, he’s more than I could ever hope to handle. I don’t think any one person could ever handle him, actually.” He stood slowly before looking to Hinata’s face; his affect had softened remarkably, however his eyes were still just as sharp.

“So long as Tooru is happy, then I am happy,” Hajime extended his hand to Hinata with a smile of finality, “It’s a pleasure to really meet you. You’re welcome here anytime, and if you need anything, you have my number.”

“Ah, t-thank you,” Hinata bowed with a delayed dip as he took his hand, “it was very nice to meet everyone.” Hajime said nothing as his lips curled up into a mischievous smile. He released Hinata’s hand and turned on his heel for the exit, his shadow disappearing down the brightly lit hallway.

Hinata scanned the room before his mind finally allowed him to breathe uninhibited. With an audible exhale he slumped into an upholstered chair, resting his elbows against his knees. He huffed as he pulled his phone out of his pocket, though the brightness of the screen stung his eyes; he hadn’t had so much alcohol over a period of so few days in years, and it seemed his tolerance for it was beginning to weaken. He thumbed through the series of notifications from apps and emails with a waxing disappointment at every swipe that was not a text message. The loneliness of the room suddenly felt new, and again the hesitation that he’d felt in the car overcame him.

Whatever he was supposed to do, he had absolutely no clue. If he were in a movie, he’d begin to suspect that the twist was approaching; he’d had nothing but arguably good luck for the better half of two weeks, and with every new obstacle, the outcome’s rewards grew greater. When he’d first seen Hajime, the serious man’s countenance had immediately come across as stern and possessive. Tooru was a beautiful man, and anyone would work tirelessly to keep him happy, so perhaps his tolerance of their affair came from a fear of losing him. Or, maybe he truthfully was too busy for Tooru—though it seemed that Tooru never failed to keep himself busy—and mature enough to recognize his needs. Whatever the circumstance, the entire scenario was just unbelievable. Hajime was a wealthy entrepreneur and Tooru a gorgeous model; what did Hinata bring to the table besides debt and doubt?

He had no time to ponder this thought as the sudden, abrupt rhythm of footsteps approaching brought his attention to the hallway. He could hear hushed whispers echoing down the hall, however the voices’ identities could not be deciphered. He forced himself upright with a push as he put his phone back into his pocket. If Tooru truly insisted, then he’d resign himself to sleeping over, if only to spare the poor assistant who’d be forced to drive him. However, the tall walls of the hillside manor resumed its pressure against him, threatening to flatten him as he shamelessly tried to eavesdrop. As his own brain thrummed against his skull, he resigned himself to such a fate.

“Hinata!” Tooru waltzed into the living room with his arms outstretched, allowing Hinata to view him in the least fancy clothes he owned—a sweatsuit—, “My god, why did everyone decide not to invite _me_ to a dinner party?” As he approached, Hinata looked up at Tooru’s face; he looked absolutely exhausted, and by the scent of coffee on his breath, he probably was. However, as his soft brown eyes cast themselves onto him, his stomach quaked miserably. Tooru was beautiful regardless of his clothes or hair, and despite the anxiety that bubbled within him, Hinata’s eyes prickled at the sharp sting of his emotions. He extended his arms out with a soft cry, and within an instant Tooru scooped him up into his long arms. “Mm, you smell like delicious food.” Hinata remained silent as they sat on the large chair though Tooru hummed softly as he worked his jacket off.

“Iwa-chan’s mischievousness can be lethal, so I’m glad you’re still in one piece,” Tooru clicked his tongue as he leaned his head back, taking in Hinata’s screwed face, “but that’s an awful expression you’ve got. I take it he told you everything?”

“Not everything,” Hinata cleared his throat, “but a lot.”

“I’m sorry, Chibi-chan,” his large hands rested on Hinata’s shoulders, “are you okay?” Hinata looked into his large brown eyes for a long moment before he finally nodded. Was he okay? He wasn’t entirely sure. However, as Tooru’s cologne wafted over to him, he closed his eyes; if he tried hard, he could imagine that he was still in Sendai, sitting with Tooru in cozy silence. His peace was quickly ruined as Tooru pulled them both upright, his long fingers intertwining themselves with his. He continued to hum as he led them out through the opposite hallway.

Hinata was decent with directions, and as they wound their way down the opposite—the southern side of the house—hallway, he realized that the house was perfectly split in two. It made sense as they came to a long series of doors with cutesy labels on them, all indicating that they held something of Tooru’s. They stopped at a set of white double doors that Tooru threw open with a flourish, bathing them both in a warm pink glow.

“Welcome to Château Tooru,” he giggled as he tossed his jacket onto the floor, “or I suppose that name is out of date now. I used to have everything decorated like this one French house I saw in a movie; it was completely classicist and arguably modern, but lately I’ve been going much warmer.” He gestured towards his bed, which had a large headboard with naturally finished wood, and the large center table, which looked nearly like a kotatsu. “I’ve been leaning towards a Bauhaus-esque style, but I get bored of it in here really easily, so I change it up every so often.”

“It looks like a hotel room,” Hinata remarked as he ran his hand along the bed’s polished footboard, “but I like it.” Tooru beamed as he scurried around the room, dropping his stud earrings onto a porcelain plate before excusing himself out through a second door. Hinata peered around to see that the adjacent room connected to his—again, very hotel-like—and that the other bedroom was filled with racks of clothes. He returned to his spot near the bed just as Tooru spun back in, now dressed in soft cotton shorts and a baggy sweater. His eyes suddenly zeroed in on Hinata, and before his devilish grin could even finish its journey on his face, he zipped back into his closet. Hinata couldn’t help but laugh at the giddy sounds Tooru made next door. Tooru returned with a slightly large stack of folded clothes and a wide smile.

“I’d hate to make you drive all the way home tonight,” he placed the clothes in Hinata’s hands with a wink.

“You’re not tired of me yet?” Hinata spoke before he’d really meant to, however the effect it had on Tooru was interesting. The taller man shuddered with a vicious giggle as he led Hinata across to the farthest side of the room. A simple white door allowed him access to the bathroom, which aside from the massive bathtub, was surprisingly unremarkable.

“I don’t know if I can ever get tired of you,” Tooru pinched at Hinata’s shoulder as he pointed towards a cabinet, “you can shower if you want, there’s towels in there. I’m gonna go get something to eat, but I’ll be right back!” With a rapid kiss to his temple Tooru slipped back out of the room, and as Hinata peeked back out through the door, he found the bedroom already vacant. He chuckled to himself as he set the clothes down on the long vanity counter. The bathroom was large yet sparsely furnished, and aside from the farthest corner—which was entirely occupied by the largest bathtub he’d ever seen—the shower stall and counter felt cozy. He retrieved a towel as the water in the shower warmed, and once he stepped into the steaming water, his breath exhaled out with an audible crack.

The pressure around him threatened to squish him again, however in the solitude of the glass shower, Hinata felt less inclined to fight it. His fingers itched against his scalp as he ran them through his hair, and every scratch he made burned under the hot water. How unfair could life be? As he lathered himself in a woodsy smelling body wash, he forced his brain to ignore the pangs he felt deep in his chest. It hurt to have no one to share any of these feelings with; aside from Yamaguchi, he had no close friends in his classes and even less acquaintances outside of school. He’d had a decent friend group at his old job, however he hadn’t spoken to them after quitting. Every time he thought he was beginning to reach out from his shell, he simply lost the energy to keep up those connections. What would he do when he graduated and had no reason to neglect his social life? Was he prepared to become a lonely salaryman?

As he shut off the water, he brought the soft towel to his face with a sigh. The bathroom was still the same, however the ever present walls of the mansion fortress still loomed around him. For a strange reason, his mouth pricked up into a tilted smile. The glimmering watch on the counter caught his eye, and as he latched it onto his wrist, he felt his posture straighten reflexively. Did it matter that he would never tell his mother about his relationships, or that his father’s spirit was likely cursing him where he stood? His reflection in the large mirror, with puffed hair and a flushed chest, felt suddenly more real than ever as it assured him. With a determination he’d only ever faked before, he sifted through the clothes Tooru had given him—though they were all way too big—before he slipped a large t-shirt over his head. He pulled his boxers and socks on, and as he stepped to the door, he steeled his mind; he promised himself that, so long as Tooru wanted him around, he would be there. He’d handle himself at a later date. As he stepped out of the steamy bathroom, he was surprised to see Tooru lounging on his bed, scrolling through his phone absently. He peeked over as Hinata emerged, and his expression immediately alighted.

“Oh, that’s cute,” Tooru leaned over onto his stomach as Hinata approached the bed, “I suppose I should get some smaller sizes to keep over here now!”

“I can bring some of my clothes over,” Hinata offered as he climbed up onto the massive mattress, “I’d feel bad if you kept buying me new ones.” Tooru aggressively shook his head as he reached for Hinata, pulling him over into a soft embrace.

“Don’t spoil my fun,” he whispered into his fluffy hair, “but I definitely won’t buy you your own shower gel. I like you smelling like my soap.”

“I do too.” Hinata internally pinched himself as he allowed his lips to push into Tooru’s collarbone, placing a soft, silent kiss on the warm skin. With a shudder Tooru pulled them apart, his eyes blown wide with a devilish glow.

“Do you mind sleeping in here with me, or would you rather stay in a guest room?” His voice was deep and rough as he whispered, and Hinata did not allow the increasing pressure of his hands to escape him. Rather than answer, Hinata simply placed his mouth onto his collarbone once more, this time allowing his lips to trail a faint line near his collar. “You’re gonna kill me, Chibi-chan.”

“If you don’t die of hunger first,” Hinata quipped as he nipped at the skin, earning himself a shocked gasp from the tall man, “I thought you were going to eat?”

“I already did,” Tooru’s goofy grin returned to his face, “Iwa-chan left me a plate in the kitchen. He knows I love Akaashi’s cooking.” Hinata stared at him for a moment before his laughter escaped him with a throaty chuckle.

“You seriously don’t look like you can put food away like that,” Hinata shook his head, “you’d break every model’s heart if they saw how you eat.”

“I guess I’ve just got a strong appetite,” Tooru shrugged as he slipped himself closer into Hinata’s grasp, “but I’ll tell ya,” his voice came out almost gravelly, “I’ve got a craving for something else right now.” His hands roamed up Hinata’s sides, and for the first time, Hinata heartily leaned into the touch. Even through his shirt he could feel the intense heat radiating from Tooru’s fingers and the slight scratch of his nails. With a slight shift, Hinata placed himself onto his back so that he could peer up at Tooru with as little trepidation as he could muster.

“Is it something I can get for you?” The words had barely left his mouth before Tooru’s was on his, soft lips pushing themselves into him with a strong wave of heat. Hinata’s hands snaked up to Tooru’s hair for a handhold, and it seemed to have a wondrous effect on his target; Tooru ground his hips against Hinata with a low groan, and the seriousness of the situation suddenly intensified.

“You’ve gotta tell me,” Tooru’s voice sounded far away while he whispered near Hinata’s ear, “if you don’t want to do this. Because if not, I won—” The flush that had begun to grow on Tooru’s cheeks blossomed as Hinata’s mouth latched onto his throat, his teeth scraping just hard enough to earn him another harsh moan. Behind him, Hinata could hear the tight grinding of Tooru’s fist in the sheets. He tapped his fingers on the nape of his neck, and as Tooru looked down on him, pupils blown wide and jaw hanging slack, Hinata pressed one last kiss into the corner of his mouth.

“I’ll let you know if you need to stop,” the voice that whispered through him felt distant, “but… I haven’t really done, uh… this before.”

“Ugh,” Tooru’s head fell against Hinata’s with a soft thud, however the soft laugh that followed dispelled any worry, “you really will be the death of me.” With that, Tooru finally let his hips fall down, his weight pushing into the smaller boy with an intense heat. Hinata hissed softly at the contact, however his attention was soon averted as Tooru pushed himself up to his knees. “I hope I won’t disappoint.” With a flourish of his fingers, Tooru slid back and fell forward to his elbows, his face landing directly level with Hinata’s groin. His own shirt was discarded quickly, and as he lifted Hinata’s hem to reveal the flat expanse of Hinata’s stomach, he fell, slipping his tongue onto the soft, unblemished skin. Hinata’s breathing hitched as Tooru’s mouth worked near his hipbones; one particularly sharp nip brought his hips bucking forward, though Tooru took that as an invitation to bury his face into the soft fabric of Hinata’s boxers.

“Ooh,” Hinata sighed, his hands flying up to Tooru’s hair. Tooru hummed appreciatively as he nipped through his shorts and the pitiful whimpers Hinata elicited only spurred him to continue. Finally, the pressure grew too strong, and Tooru’s hands pulled down the thin fabric and tossed it across the room. The room’s air felt bitingly cold compared to Tooru’s breath, so the shock of his exposure rocked Hinata deeply. As methodical as Tooru typically was, it seemed that his patience was beginning to slip. Within a moment his hands came to rest against Hinata’s thighs, peeling him open to be fully seen. “Ah, don’t l-look.”

“I’m going to do more than just look.” Tooru’s tongue stuck out as he spoke before finally landing against Hinata’s thigh. His tongue ran the length in the crook of his hipbone, and with a graceful throw, Hinata’s leg flew to land on his shoulder. Hinata blushed furiously as he covered his face with shaky hands, though he was unable to say much regardless. Tooru’s lips paused near the base of Hinata’s length before his tongue embraced the smooth, hot skin. Tooru normally felt so overwhelmed while in such heavy circumstances—Iwa-chan was nothing short of a task-driver—however as his hands spread well over Hinata’s hips, waves of power washed over him again and again. With a soft pop, his mouth descended onto Hinata; the poor boy was no match for the piping hot sensation that overloaded his brain, and his voice called out in kind. Tooru drank in Hinata’s taste, however as he pulsed against his mouth, Tooru retreated for his own sake.

“W-wait,” Hinata gasped out, allowing Tooru to see just how red his face had become, “I… I was—”

“Don’t worry, Chibi-chan,” Tooru’s voice spilled over him like miasma, “I’m gonna take care of you.” Hinata’s eyes lulled as Tooru pulled his hips close, pulling his bottom entirely off of the mattress. Hinata protested at the angle hopelessly before Tooru’s mouth descended once again. This time, Hinata could simply not handle the pressure. The boy’s swollen length pulsed pitifully against his stomach, however Tooru’s attention remained on the tight muscle his tongue was troubling. Just as he’d managed to slip into the burning entrance, Hinata gasped out, his hands fisting frantically at the duvet. He’d wanted to work him further, but as Hinata writhed into him, his heart softened a bit. He snaked his fingers around to finally support his throbbing stalk, and with two long, labored pumps, Hinata finally faltered.

Hinata could swear that he had gone blind as his eyes filled with static. The sensations that rocked his core were far too strong for him, and as he pitifully bore onto Tooru’s waiting mouth, the coil in his groin barely waning. When his sight finally returned to him, he was further blessed with the sight of Tooru lovingly licking at his satiated arousal. His long lashes curled against his cheeks as he liked up his prize, only looking up to meet Hinata’s soft, slow pets; ones the man hadn’t realized he’d given.

“I…” Hinata gulped dryly, “I… you, you’re amazing.” Tooru laughed airily as Hinata rubbed thickly against his hair, “I don’t think I can move.”

“Let me help you,” Tooru cooed as he brought the man into his arms, bringing them up to sit on their knees, “you’re so beautiful.” He placed slow kisses into the boy’s sweaty hairline, and despite the shaking of his hands, Hinata let his fingers dance on Tooru’s shoulders.

“No, you are,” Hinata shook his head, “you’re an angel.”

“You’re beyond even that,” Tooru’s voice oozed out as he lifted Hinata entirely onto his lap, “you’re more than heavenly, you are divine.” Hinata sighed as Tooru brought his legs closer, locking them together to bake in their mutual heats. “I’m afraid you’ll make a sacrament out of me.” Tooru’s hands were much less cautious now, however they stilled for the man’s sake as they worked his swollen entrance. Hinata felt backwards into Tooru’s strong arms as his head lulled pitifully, unable to right itself. One long finger worked its way deep inside, and before the static could fade from Hinata’s groin, another joined it in kind. Tooru howled under his breath at the tightness he encountered, and within a few mere moments Hinata had begun to grind down into him in vain.

“T-Tooru,” Hinata cried, “ah, I can’t… I, ah!” His entire lower half felt both frozen and burned as Tooru’s hands worked him tirelessly. His hands were hurriedly fisting themselves at Tooru’s hair, though this proved to be his detriment; the more he tugged, the harder Tooru pushed, and the more he needed to hold on. The tight coil that bulged deeply within his core cried out with every slow pump.

“Hold tight,” Tooru’s voice was threateningly deep as he fell to his side, reaching his long arms to the small bedside table. Hinata could hardly move his head to see what he was doing, however Tooru returned to his looming position quickly enough. “Just hold on, baby.” Oh, that was rough; Hinata shivered as Tooru’s knuckles bumped into his member while he worked. Only a few seconds had passed, and yet Hinata ached like he hadn’t been touched in years. With a soft grunt, Tooru threw aside his supplies and fell into the pillows, bringing Hinata crashing down onto him. “Just… just like… hit me if it hurts,” Tooru managed to choke out as his hands found their positions on Hinata’s hips. Hinata silently nodded as Tooru guided him down, and if the tightness in his core weren’t enough, Tooru’s lips finding a port at his nipples did not help.

“Ah!” Hinata’s voice grew hoarse as Tooru’s slicked cock began to ache against him. The feeling was truly indescribable, however he wished it would never end. By the time he fell to Tooru’s thighs both men were hopelessly mouthing to one another, though Tooru managed to utter sinful words through it all. “I…”

“I’m sorry,” Tooru’s eyes cast a dark shadow as he let his hips buck up, finally sheathing himself entirely within Hinata. The smaller man responded in kind, hopelessly spasming against the seemingly immobile force within him. He had almost acclimated before Tooru’s hips fell again, milking cries out of Hinata with every ongoing thrust. Hinata wasn’t sure if he were upright or laying down as the burning presence of Tooru within him grew unbearable. Tooru’s teeth found their home on Hinata’s chest, his lips sucking to mask his own moans as his hips worked tirelessly. His throbbing length seemed to just barely fit inside of Hinata, however the tight pressure worked him at every angle. Within a few bittersweet moments his nails dug at Hinata’s pale skin, and after his teeth dealt a particularly nasty bite, he flung his head back to find Hinata’s gaze. “I’m gonna cum soon.”

“O-oh,” Hinata’s face was entirely wrecked with eyes barely open as each wave of pleasure rocked him, “o-okay.” His mouth came up to a pout, and in the warm glow of the pristine bedroom, Hinata truly looked ethereal. Tooru pushed up, engulfing Hinata’s frame entirely as he forced the man against him. Hinata cried out unabashedly against Tooru’s neck, too weak to even suck at the tender skin there. Tooru let one hand come up to Hinata’s jaw, forcing the boy into a heated, sloppy kiss while the other weighed down his hips. Tooru pulled off with a loud pop to see Hinata’s hooded eyes completely shaded with lust; it was a remarkably good look, and while he would likely never be allowed, he wished he could photograph that expression.

“Come on,” Tooru growled with an open smile, “cum for me won’t you?” That was all it took. Hinata convulsed against Tooru’s chest before his mouth was quickly reoccupied with Tooru’s tongue. Tooru’s own arousal finally peaked, and the most he could do to control his desire was press his fingers brutally into Hinata’s skin. Hinata could feel the gut-wrenching tug as Tooru released himself inside him, and as the warmth radiated upwards, his orgasm eked further. “Chibi-chan… Shouyou,” Tooru’s groans were little more than a whisper now, “oh god, you’re amazing.”

“That’s… my line,” Hinata coughed out, “w-wait, I’m still—” Tooru pulled out to the cries of Hinata’s loss, however he quickly brought the boy into his chest once again. Together they fell towards the footboard of the bed, their legs intertwining as their heart rates slowed. Tooru took the moment to see the finer details of Hinata as he fought off his ongoing pleasure; his stomach was toned but adorably round, he had a small dimple near his right hipbone, and he hadn’t noticed the light dusting of freckles at his collarbone. Once the air felt less sticky, Tooru brought Hinata up into a long, relishing kiss.

“Well, how did I do?” Tooru toothily grinned as Hinata panted in laughter.

“I can’t talk yet,” Hinata cried, however the quick quakes of Tooru’s laugh roused him further, “Tooru, I… you’re too good at this.”

“I’ll take that as a ‘perfect’, then,” Tooru teased with a soft kiss to his crown, “though, I do feel bad; you just showered and now you’re all dirty again.”

“I’ll deal with it in a minute.” Hinata gulped through the thick air. His words were essentially unheard however as Tooru scooped him up, his arms securing him as they strode into the bathroom bridal style. He placed Hinata into the large tub, however when he reached for the faucet, Hinata cried out to stop. “Wait! The water will be cold!” Tooru smirked and threw the faucet open, and before Hinata could sneak away, a rush of languid water overcame him. Shockingly, he was instantly engulfed in a pool so warm and fresh, he could have slipped right under its surface had Tooru not pulled him back.

“This may be the single best thing I’ve ever bought,” Tooru mussed as he reached into a small basket. He tossed a single ball into the water, and as it exploded into a rainbow of foaming bubbles and floral scents, he slipped into the tub to join Hinata in its overwhelming warmth. Hinata’s entire body relaxed into the water as jets began to pump into his back and legs with nearly enough pleasure to render him unconscious.

“I agree,” Hinata quipped. Tooru laughed while Hinata floated about, and once the tub had filled he severed its source, rendering the room woefully silent. The two quietly floated in the water before Tooru settled into one of its many seats, taking care to pull Hinata in with him. They sat with one another in the tepid pool for a long moment before the taller one finally sighed aloud.

“I hope that was okay,” he spoke towards the ceiling, “I, uh, I’d meant to go for a bit longer.”

“If there had been any more I think I would have died.”

“Note taken,” Tooru chuckled, “but, are you alright? How do you feel?”

“Uh, I don’t feel anything right now,” Hinata spoke truthfully, “but I think my toes are coming back to me.” There it was again; the open, hearty laugh that Tooru would slip into when he truly lost his composure. Hinata marveled at the large man that sat beside him, and while he leaned into his skin, it was hard to convince himself that this was real. Tooru was one of the most successful people he’d ever met, and while he oozed confidence and maturity, secretly he was a bashful, naughty, demanding boy of a man. They sat in perfect silence in the hot water, and by the time Hinata realized he’d drifted off to sleep, Tooru was hoisting him out effortlessly.

They toweled off and returned to a reasonable state of dress—Tooru wore the same shorts as before while Hinata resumed his large shirt with a new pair of shorts—before securing themselves into the disheveled bedding. Hinata texted Yamaguchi—it was already past ten, so hopefully he was still awake—to advise him to lock the door, and as Tooru set the lights to a low, deep blue tone, the two snuggled down into the fluffy sheets.

“What time do you have class tomorrow?”

“First lecture is at nine.”

“Ugh,” Hinata chortled as Tooru pouted in the dim light, “see, I’m a horrible boyfriend. I want to tell you to ditch and sleep in with me, but I can’t. This sucks.”

“Aw, are you gonna miss me?” Hinata teased his finger at Tooru’s chest, earning him a satisfying flinch, “but who said I wanted to go tomorrow?”

“No! You can’t already pick up my bad habits,” Tooru grabbed Hinata’s hands and brought them to his cheeks, “you’re supposed to make me a better person!”

“I’ll work on that,” Hinata spread his fingers across Tooru’s set jawbones to place a long, steady kiss, “but I won’t set an alarm.”

“Naughty, naughty Shouyou.” Tooru accepted the kiss as the room fell blissfully silent. When he’d picked this mattress for his own room a few years prior, he had loved how soft it was; it almost felt like the bed itself was embracing him. When he slept with Hajime, the firm mattress paid him no mind, keen to let them embrace uninhibited. However, with Hinata who was so much smaller than Hajime, Tooru felt like the bed was bringing them together in a cushioned, cloudlike hold. He brought his head up to rest on the soft puff that was Hinata’s hair, and as the smaller man’s breathing slowed, Tooru cooed affectionately against him. “Goodnight.”

“Sleep tight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this is a bigger chapter than I normally publish at once, however I hope y'all don't mind! This chapter took by far the longest to write, so I apologize for the wait!


	11. You Know Well What I've Been Through

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some violent imagery, so if you are uncomfortable with that, please be advised!

Hinata awoke to a sudden bright panel of light flashing over his face, however when he opened his eyes, he noticed that it had just been the curtains fluttering in the window. With a stretch and yawn he sat up in the massive bed, rubbing at his eyes furiously. It took a few moments to remember that he was in Tooru’s massive mansion bedroom, though it took a few more seconds to realize that he lay there alone. He groaned as he reached over to the bedside table for his phone; he only had one notification from Yamaguchi—which he would ignore for now—and a picture message from Tooru. As he swung his feet out of bed, his eyes finally focused enough to see more closely, allowing him to find that it was already nearly twelve o’clock. He jumped with a start and hurried towards the bathroom, however as the nights events began to replay, his chest fluttered tremendously. He splashed cold water on his face to fully arise himself, however the soothing sounds of the running water were thoroughly distracting, lulling him to crouch with his head beneath the chilled faucet.

He peered at his phone as he toweled off his sopping head while actively ignoring his email app, lest his professor question his absence. The date and time sat proudly on the lock screen as if it weren’t aware of the circumstances; it was Tuesday, meaning it had been just one week since he met Tooru. That realization suddenly left him feeling dizzy and foolish as he shuffled back into the main bedroom. One week was all it had taken to completely enwrap Hinata in Tooru’s world. As he curled his feet beneath himself on the large bed, he stared at the unread message on his phone in silence. Never before in his life had he been so utterly swept up into someone else’s life. When he was younger, he had been the one throwing himself at his friends to play and spend time together. Now, while sitting on the receiving end of such attentions, he felt a strange fuzziness around him. As his fingers drifted to the place where Tooru had laid just hours before, his stomach flipped with exhilaration.

The sharp pinging of his phone jerked him out of his paradise entirely too soon. With a start he looked to the bright screen to see an unknown number had messaged him. He opened the text without hesitation, presuming it to be spam—he’d have to kick that habit—however its contents were anything but. 

UNKNOWN SENDER: HELLO HINATA-SAN. THIS IS AKAASHI. HAJIME-SAN SAID THAT YOU WERE STILL THERE; IF YOU ARE, I’D LIKE TO TREAT YOU TO LUNCH.

The memory of delicious food suddenly overcame him, and Hinata could barely contain his surprise and excitement as he tapped out his response.

HINATA: THAT WOULD BE AMAZING, AKAASHI-SAN! WHERE SHOULD I MEET YOU?

While he awaited his response, he quickly saved his number and set out to find clean clothes; surely Tooru’s closet would hold something that would fit him well enough to wear in public. As he tiptoed towards the closet door, however, a small pile of neatly folded clothes sat on a plush white settee near a window. Looping, clear handwriting shone on a pristine piece of white paper, and before Hinata could wonder if Tooru had personalized stationery, he realized that the paper was emblazoned with a cutesy cartoon succulent plant. He laughed under his breath as he read the short note:

_Chibi-chan! I had to go to a meeting this morning, but don’t worry! I should be back before three. If you want to head back to your apartment, just let Iwa-chan know, otherwise I’ll see you soon! <3_

Beneath the note sat clothes that, despite their tags being cut and already washed, were clearly newly purchased. Rather than dwell on that small detail, however, Hinata slipped the new outfit on in a hurry. Tooru actually did have a good sense of other’s tastes. He’d chosen a loose-fitting pair of jeans, a long-sleeved hooded shirt, and a t-shirt with a funky design on it. As he looked in the mirror, Hinata was actually amazed; it was exactly the sort of outfit he liked to wear, yet never bought for himself. He rummaged through Tooru’s drawers to find clean socks—that he didn’t mind borrowing—before his phone buzzed gleefully from the bed.

AKAASHI-SAN: I’M IN HAJIME-SAN’S DRIVEWAY.

Hinata took one last look at himself before he braced for the door. His brain was only slightly fuzzy from the night before, however he felt fairly certain that he could find his way outside. The hallway that led towards the smaller living room did not fail him, and after only one wrong turn, he found himself coming down one of the large flights of stairs in the main foyer. That was strange however, as he did not recall going up any stairs before. As he made his way across the large room he stalled; he remembered that his shoes had been left much farther in the house. He turned his head to find the route that he had followed the day before, only to find the hallway that Matsukawa had led him down was closed off. He looked around the large room with a slowly rising anxiety; he certainly did not want to bother Hajime just to ask about his shoes, however he couldn’t leave without them. Thankfully, his search was short lived.

“Hinata-san?” As Akaashi’s kind voice floated into the room, Hinata jumped in surprise. Akaashi hadn’t made sound when he opened the door. “Oh, you’re looking for your shoes, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” Hinata nodded sheepishly as he pointed to the closed doors, “I took them off back there last night, but now that’s closed.” Akaashi simply nodded as he stepped over to an ornate white door about two meters from the entrance’s threshold. He opened it—making a strangely satisfying click as the knob turned—revealing several shelves of people’s shoes. There on a center shelf sat Hinata’s sneakers, which he quickly collected.

“They put visitor’s shoes in here.” Akaashi’s soft tone was so soothing as he slipped his shoes on that he almost forgot to tie the laces. “I hope everyone didn’t scare you too badly last night.”

“Not at all!” Hinata spoke quickly, “everyone was very nice!”

“They have their moments,” Akaashi chuckled as Hinata jumped to his feet, “ready?”

“Oh,” Hinata hadn’t meant to sound so disappointed as Akaashi fingered his car keys, “I mean, yes I am! I was excited to eat more of your cooking, though.”

“Oh, this will be much better,” Akaashi waved him off as they stepped out through the large doors, “I’ve got a special place in mind.” Hinata hummed along as they walked to Akaashi’s modest blue sedan. Once they entered and drove down the looping driveway, Hinata felt a sudden release of tension from deep within his chest. His breath came out oddly hoarse, however his companion didn’t seem too bothered. “That house is intimidating, isn’t it?”

“That’s an understatement,” Hinata coughed, “I don’t think I’ve ever been in a house that huge before!”

“It actually used to be a small castle,” Akaashi explained as they excited the gate onto the main road, “or, that’s what Hanamaki-san says. But, once you get past the dark hallways and cold floors, it’s actually very cozy.” Hinata hummed in response as they began to gain speed on the highway. His phone’s presence in his pocket suddenly felt heavier, and he quickly brought it out to text an update to Tooru. “Tooru-san already knows you’re with me, so don’t worry.”

“Oh! I, uh… well, thank you,” Hinata worked hard to even out his voice as he shoved the phone back into his jeans, “he left early this morning.”

“Tooru is practically an insomniac,” Akaashi chuckled, “he goes to sleep so late and wakes up very early, I don’t know if he actually sleeps. I wish Bokuto-san were more like him; if I didn’t stop him, he’d sleep for over twelve hours.”

“Oh, are you and Bokuto-san roommates?” Hinata asked. Akaashi’s flinger flicked up to indicate his turn, however he allowed it to extend further into Hinata’s field of view, showing a simple golden band. “ _Oh my god_ , I’m sorry.” Hinata wished he could punch himself in the brain.

“That’s alright,” Akaashi laughed softly, “it happens far more than you’d realize. Oh, here’s the place.” With a smooth turn of the wheel their car parked snuggly against the curb in front of a modest looking restaurant. Hinata’s stomach began to rumble as they rejoined on the sidewalk, and by the time they had sat inside, his mouth was practically watering. “I suppose I didn’t feed you enough last night, huh?”

“No,” Hinata quickly waved his hands, “I’ve just got a big appetite!”

“Noted.” Akaashi’s long eyelashes fluttered over his cheeks as he eyed the menu in silence. Hinata tried to find something compelling to order, however his eyes kept flickering over to his companion. It appeared that Akaashi was not a rank and file member of Hajime’s… business, and Hajime himself had said that Akaashi didn’t work for him. And yet, he definitely seemed to know plenty about their business. Perhaps he’d been with Bokuto for so long that he was a de facto member? Hinata’s brain ran through those streams before a server stepped up to their table with a mild smile.

“What can I get for you two?”

“I’ll have…” Akaashi tapped a slender finger against the corner of his mouth, “shoyu ramen with an extra egg, shio musubi, and… nanohana in karashi dressing, please.” The server simply nodded before turning to Hinata, who was reeling with the amount of food Akaashi had just ordered.

“Oh, uh, I’ll have the… shoyu ramen too, please.” The server nodded and snatched their menus away before briskly disappearing. “Akaashi-san, you’ll give Tooru a run for his money if you could eat all that for lunch!” The words had already escaped him before the vulgarity of them was realized.

“Ha,” Akaashi laughed with a nod, “I don’t think I could beat him in an eating contest—he’s far too fast—but I know he can’t cook to save his life, so I’ve got that over him.”

“I’d pay to see Tooru try to cook something like what you made last night.” Hinata snickered. He wasn’t lying; seeing Tooru surrounded with several bowls of ingredients and hot pans would be rather entertaining. “Your cooking may be the best I’ve ever had though, Akaashi-san.”

“I’m glad you liked it,” Akaashi smiled kindly, “but Hajime-san gives me far too much credit. When I cook for him I get to use his massive kitchen instead of my small one at home, plus he buys all of the ingredients. So, he’s more of a benefactor to my arts.”

“Next time you cook for him I’d love to watch—”

“Nope,” Akaashi interrupted him with a sweet smile, “no one gets to know my methods.” Hinata worked to hide his disappointment as the server brought them two glasses of water. The new distraction allowed for the conversation to change, however just as Akaashi spoke, Hinata’s phone vibrated woefully in his pocket. He ignored it however, as Akaashi’s long fingers tapped against his hands. “You’re probably wondering why I called you out to lunch, aren’t you?” Hinata sat in silence by his question, however the man thankfully did not wait for a response. “We’re in very similar situations, you and I. I met Bokuto-san over ten years ago, and we’ve lived together since I graduated from high school. When he started working for Hajime-san, our relationship didn’t change, however our lives did.”

“I don’t—” Hinata was again interrupted, however this time it was by their server bringing over steaming bowls and plates of food. No sooner than the last plate had settled onto the table did Akaashi resume talking, leaving Hinata once again stunned.

“I was not particularly close to my family for many reasons, however I can no longer speak to them even if I wanted to. It was hard at first, however I’ve come to accept it. Hajime-san mentioned that you don’t have much family, so that should not be too painful for you.”

“Akaashi-san, please wait,” Hinata shook his head while Akaashi took a large bite out of his onigiri, “I’m confused, what do you mean by, ‘we’re similar’?”

“I mean that we are both in relationships with individuals who work in an illegal mafia, that’s what I mean,” Akaashi spoke so plainly that Hinata almost thought he was joking, “and from one man to another, I want to make sure that you’re prepared for the life that awaits you.”

“Wait,” Hinata’s hands began to shake vigorously enough for him to drop his chopsticks, “Tooru and I aren’t—”

“Yes you are,” Akaashi interjected, his piercing eyes settling onto Hinata’s, “and if you tell me that you’re not again, I will know that you are lying. I’m not saying you’re going to marry him, I’m simply stating that from now, you two are an item.”

“B-but what about Hajime-san?”

“If he didn’t like it, he’d have put a stop to it before it even began,” Akaashi waved his hand off as he slurped his ramen, “Hajime-san and Tooru-san have been together for much longer than even Bokuto-san and I. Theirs is not a fickle relationship.”

“So, you want to warn me about the… intricacies of being with Tooru?” Hinata tried his best to shake Akaashi’s gaze, however the mans’ teal eyes followed him relentlessly. “Tooru doesn’t work for Hajime-san though, right?”

“That doesn’t matter. Tooru-san is well known as Hajime-san’s partner. Tooru-san knows all of this very well, however I was afraid that his affection for you would blind him from doing what is fair.”

“What is fa—” As though the air had been pushed out of his lungs, Hinata sat unmoving as Akaashi continued to snack away at his lunch, seemingly unaware of the gun that he had produced. His hand was perfectly still as he pointed it directly at Hinata’s chest, the other free to continue feeding him onigiri. The air felt sticky and suffocating, and the only sound that Hinata could hear outside of his heart beating in his chest was the soft smacking of Akaashi’s lips. Surely someone in the restaurant would notice, however he found himself unable to look around to confirm. His hands shook uncontrollably on the table as Akaashi finally finished his onigiri.

~

Tooru pranced out of his meeting—which had ended blissfully early—with a lovely hop to his step. It was just before two o’clock, and rather than rush to his car, he strolled down the quiet downtown street his manager’s office sat on. The spring air was delightfully crisp, and as smell after delicious smell wafted over to him, he finally resigned himself to a treat. There was a small café near his manager’s building he had frequented quite often before, however when his stylist suggested he stop eating so much sugar—he was starting to bloat in his face—he’d tearfully forbade himself from such delicacies. However, as his hips stung and his abdomen ached, his lips curled into a devilish smile as he twirled into the bakery. The staff seemed to be feeling the effects of their Tuesday afternoon, and while they were not impolite, their candid smiles were clearly forced. Regardless, once Tooru had acquired his treasure, he slipped back outside to enjoy the delicate pastries.

The sweet treat provided an ample activity for his hands as he lazed down the sidewalk. The delicious snack was only outclassed by the far more satisfying burn in his thighs. He hadn’t been intimate with many people, however he was experienced enough to understand what made a person good at sex. As he hopped across the crosswalk near his car, licking his fingers with every step, his brain once again replayed the previous night’s escapades. Perhaps the glory of it had been his own role; Iwa-chan was not one for receiving, and Tooru was hardly inclined to deny him. However, the satisfying tingles in his muscles left him giggling quietly at his soreness. He could certainly get used to this.

He came back to his car with a huff, and as he fell into the driver’s seat, he fished out his phone from his pocket. Hinata had likely been so utterly wiped that he was still asleep, and as much as he wanted to ensure that he was okay, the thought of coming home to him asleep in his bed was tantalizing. He had almost resigned himself to the potential surprise until his eyes spotted an unusual contact name. He opened the message with a raised brow, however before he’d finished the sentence, his hands flew to the gear shift with a start. His car tore down the street unabashedly fast, however any cop who dare pull him over would have hell to pay. As he hurried back to the house, his stomach coiled in an entirely different emotion.

~

“I need you to understand, Hinata-san,” Akaashi voice cut through the air so cleanly that Hinata’s ears felt a harsh feedback, “exactly what is at stake here. You being with Tooru-san puts us all in danger if you don’t take this seriously.”

“O-okay! Okay,” Hinata choked out, his hands slowly rising up towards his chest, “I-I’ll listen! Please, just don’t—”

“This is how they will try to get information out of you.” Suddenly, Akaashi shot out of his seat, bringing the gun’s barrel to sit directly beneath Hinata’s chin. “They’ll put you at gunpoint to ask about Tooru-san, or Hajime-san, or me, or any one of us. It isn’t enough to play dumb; you will need to be smart enough to trick them into thinking you are dumb. If they ask you a direct question, like, ‘Where is Hajime-san’s car parked?’, you will have to be able to say, ‘I don’t know, but probably at his house’. And if they ask you where his house is, then you have to be able to misdirect. If not, then everyone is in danger,” with a slow pull, Akaashi’s thumb arched up and pulled the gun’s hammer back, “and you will certainly be killed.”

Hinata’s heart felt as if it could fail at any moment. Akaashi’s face had never once faltered, and yet the same placid expression that had felt so calming was now boring into him. If anyone was in the restaurant with them they would surely have seen what was going on, and yet no one spoke out or came to his aid. His fingers ached to grab his phone, yet he didn’t dare move for it. His vision clouded over as he tried to think straight before the cold metal of the barrel pressed against his neck.

“I would never say anything that would hurt Tooru,” his voice cracked as he cried, however he persevered through a lone tear, “I’d rather die than betray him.”

A slow second passed before Akaashi slowly retreated from his stance over him, returning to his lunch as if nothing had happened. The gun clacked noisily as he dropped it onto the counter, and that sharp sound shocked Hinata back into reality; from somewhere behind him, a slow clap crescendoed over to their table. Hinata slowly turned his head, his stomach dropping deep into his body before Kuroo’s smirking face emerged from behind a chair.

“Excellent work, Akaashi! You’ll make a great interrogator!” Kuroo congratulated the man, however Akaashi ignored him as he worked on his lunch; he reached over with his chopsticks and lightly tapped Hinata’s bowl, motioning for him to eat as well. As Hinata nervously resumed his lunch, Kuroo slid in beside him with a cheeky grin. “Sorry to give ya a scare! It’s kinda protocol.”

“Bokuto-san,” Akaashi’s soft voice called out, “you can come out now.” Hinata’s eyes searched for the silver haired man before he suddenly appeared from a point well within his field of view; how had he not seen him before? Bokuto loped over and practically sat on top of Akaashi, his excited smile never once fading.

“You’ve got guts, kid! That was such a badass response!” Bokuto reached for one of Akaashi’s onigiri, however their owner rapped his hand with his chopsticks. “Ow!”

“Yeah, poor Akaashi nearly cried when we did this to him,” Kuroo jeered before a single floret of rapini smacked him in the face, “Hey! It’s the truth!”

“You both are horrible,” Akaashi’s voice finally colored a bit as he glared at Kuroo, “now Hinata will never trust me again.”

“That’s not true!” Hinata spoke more quickly than he’d meant to, which earned him stares from all three men. He cleared his throat with a cough and continued, “I… I understand why you did it. Though, having Akaashi-san do it was pretty clever. I never saw that coming.”

“Told you!” Kuroo shouted loudly at Bokuto, who scowled miserably as he tried to steal some of Akaashi’s food—to no avail—, “Bokuto said we should have Kei do it, and I told him he was batshit! No one would expect Kei to do anything nice!”

“Kuroo-san, do you need a therapist?” Akaashi’s words cut into the tall man perfectly, resulting in a round of laughter at his expense. Hinata worked to keep his mouth busy with his now lukewarm lunch as the three discussed their brilliant plan to determine his trustworthiness. Would it have been so difficult to just ask him to be discreet? It’s not like he had many people to go tell anyways.

“So, Chibi-chan,” Kuroo threw his long arm over Hinata’s shoulder, pulling him snuggly into his large torso, “whaddya think? Are we tolerable enough for ya?”

“Well, I don’t have many friends, so I can’t be too picky can I?” This time, the laughter that erupted truly left Kuroo in shambles.

As they finished their lunch—Bokuto helped himself to Hinata’s bowl, as he’d lost his appetite—they all exited the restaurant to head their separate ways. However, Hinata noted that the server gave Akaashi a knowing look before he stepped outside; it would seem that he had not been entirely ignored. Somehow, that made him feel better. Bokuto joined Akaashi and Hinata on their drive back after saying farewell to Kuroo, and from the back seat, Hinata could more clearly observe the two’s dynamic. Bokuto was the definition of boisterous and energetic, however Akaashi’s slow, methodical approach to everything was far more interesting to watch. However, as they returned to the Hanamaki Mansion, Hinata noted that Bokuto wore no ring on his finger.

The three walked across the driveway as tires screeched up in pursuit. Hinata turned to see Tooru’s bright white car come flying up before parking haphazardly behind them. He practically leapt out of the car before sashaying over to Hinata, pulling him into a tight embrace. He wore a stainless, white silk button-up, and as Hinata’s face pressed into the cool fabric, his cheeks flushed at the woodsy smell of his cologne.

“Chibi-chan! You’re alive!” Tooru quipped as he pinched Hinata’s cheek, “Y’know, it’s not nice to ignore people’s texts!”

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” Hinata’s cheeks flushed angrily as he grabbed his phone. He had never opened Tooru’s message, however as he did, his face somehow managed to burn even hotter. Had he known that it would be a picture of himself, blissfully asleep with his shirt hiked entirely up to his chin to reveal his entire abdomen, he wouldn’t have opened it around others. Tooru burst into laughter at his obvious reaction, and as Hinata saw the confusion on Akaashi and Bokuto’s faces, he further wished to evaporate. Between being harassed and embarrassed, perhaps these new friends were too much for him. Before he put his phone away he saw the short message Tooru had sent with it:

TOORU: WHAT A SIGHT TO WAKE UP TO! <3

“Enough torture for one day, alright?” Akaashi lightly patted Hinata on the shoulder before turning towards his car. “Bokuto-san, I’m tired.”

“I’ve just got to stop in with Hajime real quick, then we can head home.” Bokuto leaned a kiss into Akaashi’s hair before he loped up the steps into the house, “See you both later!” He waved to Hinata and Tooru before he disappeared inside the mansion. Akaashi sighed quietly as he retreated into the passenger seat of his car, offering a soft farewell before turning to scroll at his phone. Tooru did not hesitate as he lead Hinata up the stairs as well, slipping inside the large foyer with a fast pace.

“Tooru, I’m gonna trip,” Hinata tried to quip as they tore through the mansion’s main level. They had just reached a hallway Hinata hadn’t been in before—by the comically professional kitchen doors at its end, he assumed it lead to the kitchen—before Tooru threw Hinata into an alcove, pressing his body into the cornered glass of what looked to be an atrium.

“What did they do to you?” Tooru’s voice was sharp and low, and the edge on his tone cut at Hinata’s ears. Hinata’s surprise and shock were present in his voice as he stammered out. Tooru lifted a long finger to his chin, his brows twitching lightly as he worked to keep his face even. “… did he point it at you?” Tooru’s words sounded metallic as he spoke.

“What?” Hinata choked, his hands shaking against the boundaries behind him. Tooru remained silent, though the hand gripped around his arm seemed to be vibrating. “H-he did, but—” Hinata had barely spoken before Tooru’s face grew blank. With a strangely rough force, Tooru reached behind them both to open a somewhat hidden door. The indoor atrium was remarkably bare, however the small patch of grass provided a strange refuge within the massive house. Tooru planted Hinata into a stone bench before turning on his feel to retreat. He slammed the door behind him, shrouding Hinata in a strange muteness. Despite his shoes’ loud clacking on the hardwood floors, Hinata could no longer hear Tooru’s footsteps. He sat in awe as he looked at the small planters and fountain that surrounded him; of course the house would have a soundproof room.

With a groan he pulled out his phone to distract himself from Tooru’s odd reaction, and the notification from Yamaguchi proved a perfect topic.

YAMAGUCHI: NICE TO KNOW THAT YOU’RE HAVING FUN!

Hinata scoffed at the obviously sarcastic tone Yamaguchi had intended. However, as the day’s tumultuous events replayed in his head, he softened into a small smile as he stared the message. Of course Yamaguchi only wanted him to be happy, and after three years of watching him retreat further into himself, he was likely overjoyed that he was finally interacting with others socially. He was tempted to write out a snarky reply before he noticed a second notification from just over an hour ago. 

YAMAGUCHI: BTW, YOU MET OUR NEIGHBOR KAGEYAMA-SAN, RIGHT? I DIDN’T KNOW THAT HE’S A PROFESSIONAL VOLLEYBALL PLAYER! I RAN INTO HIM YESTERDAY, AND HE ASKED ABOUT YOU.

Hinata groaned as his phone fell to his lap pitifully. Why on earth was he asking about Hinata now? His brain thudded painfully as his stomach began to growl again; admitting defeat, Hinata brought his phone up and opened his school’s app. The awful drone of his professor’s recorded lectures provided a decent diversion, however as his mind wandered, the dark reflection of Akaashi’s gun continued to plague his vision.

~

Hajime had been working on the last few questions on his crossword puzzle when Bokuto had stopped in to give his report. The man was always a bright face to see, however on that particular Tuesday, Hajime felt little respite from his elation.

“So, I finished the first blueprint for the Hyogo setup,” Bokuto gestured to one of the attachments visible in Hajime’s email, “and I also sent you the second draft, but it’s not done yet.”

“Thank you,” Hajime spoke earnestly as he closed out his email server. Now all he needed was the final reconnaissance report from Hanamaki and the completed profiles from Kenma, and they would be ready to address the situation in the south. However, as they began to bid their goodbyes, a strangely fast stomping came up towards the office doors. With little more than a kick, Tooru brought the doors slamming open with enough force to indent the knobs into the wall. Bokuto jumped back at the sudden show of force, however Hajime simply stood with his hands outstretched. “What the hell?” Tooru ignored him as he rushed onto Bokuto with his fists already clenched. Hajime had just enough time to leap between them before Tooru’s first punch could connect.

“I will fucking kill you!” Tooru seethed against Hajime’s hold on him, “let me go!”

“What the hell is wrong?!” Hajime questioned frantically as he fought to hold him back. Bokuto took the short break to put some space between them, however Tooru did not retreat.

“They pointed a fucking gun at him!” This time, Tooru managed to break free just enough to let out a kick into his target’s leg. He found Bokuto’s knee easily, and while it didn’t take the man down, he knew that it had stung. “Let me go right now!”

“Tooru!” Hajime’s arms tightened again, and despite their size difference, Hajime easily hoisted Tooru across towards his desk. “Calm down and me what happened!” Tooru’s hands clawed against Hajime’s forearm as he pushed into him, however he allowed his bottom to fully rest against the desk.

“They took Hinata and put a fucking gun to his head!” Tooru spat, “So let me go! I am going to kill him!”

“No, you’re not,” Hajime pushed Tooru entirely onto the desk with a heave, sending half of its contents to the floor, “Bokuto, what the hell happened?” He looked over his shoulder at the third man, and while his face looked relatively calm, the sharpness in his eyes was anything but.

“W-Well,” Bokuto choked as the color faded from his face, “it was just to give him a little scare! Y’know, so he’d know what he was getting into!” Bokuto stammered quickly as he repositioned himself towards the door. “It wasn’t even loaded!”

“I don’t give a shit!” Tooru hissed, “who the fuck do you think you are?!”

“Tooru, please,” Hajime rubbed a hand to his ear.

“No! They had no right—”

“They had every right,” Hajime turned with a paternal sigh, “and you know they wouldn’t have hurt him.” Tooru began to protest, however Hajime pressed his hands into his arms and leaned close to whisper in his ear, “Can I handle this, please?”

“No. You’ll go easy on them.” Tooru scoffed through an eye roll.

“I promise I won’t,” Hajime persisted, “okay?” The room sat in a hung silence for what felt like an eternity before Tooru finally hopped off the desk with a huff. He stuck his chin high as he marched out of the room, making sure that his glare never released Bokuto even as he disappeared down the hallway. Bokuto exhaled out in relief once his thunderous footsteps disappeared.

“Damn, that was crazy! Thanks for—” Bokuto’s remaining words evaporated as Hajime’s fist hammered into his abdomen. He fell to his knees with an ungraceful moan by the force of the punch before Hajime pulled his head back up by his hair. Bokuto gasped for a breath as Hajime brought their faces close, his blank eyes tearing into him.

“If you _ever_ do something like that again, I _will_ kill you.” Bokuto nodded weakly before Hajime released him onto the floor. He staggered to his feet with a pitiful bow, though he hadn’t quite exited the door before Hajime called out again. “Don’t speak a word of this to the other two,” he stepped over to his desk to realign the items that Tooru had knocked off, “however, I will spare Akaashi because I know you all forced him into it.”

“Yessir.” Bokuto straightened out as the pain from the blow ebbed. He hurried out of the door for the exit, and as Hajime watched the small camera feed on his desk, he saw Bokuto sprint into Akaashi’s car with a frantic flourish of the door. He flopped into his chair as his heart rate finally came back down. He would surely have a migraine later in the evening, and he would have to apologize to Hinata and somehow placate Tooru. His eyes fell to his crossword booklet as his mood thoroughly soured; he hadn’t had to reprimand one of his closest colleagues in years, though perhaps Tooru was accurate in saying that he had gone soft. He’d have to work on that. Suddenly, his eyes scanned over one of the few remaining clues left on the page. A ten letter word for domestication: D-I-S-C-I-P-L-I-N-E.


End file.
